The Pied Piper of Hamelin

The Pied Piper of Hamelin is "the first in a series of miniature books that focus on original folklore classics" and the latest edition from Lorin Morgan-Richards' A Raven Above Press. The wonderful thing about Morgan-Richards' books is that they are all handmade originals. He creates each book individually, so each is unique in its own way. Quite frankly, as far as I'm concerned, his books are miniature works of art.

Lorin Morgan-Richards art reminds me of a modern day Charles Addams or Edward Gorey. He dabbles in the unusual and strange, yet there's just enough of the familiar in his artwork to keep it grounded. His artwork is perfectly matched to the tone of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, the familiar folklore tale of the strange Piper show more who comes to Hamelin to rid them of the rats that are infesting their town, and who then takes the children of Hamelin away with his magical, musical pipe after the townsfolk deny paying for his service.

The book itself is rather tiny, measuring at just 4 inches tall and 3 inches wide, which really adds to its charm. I so thoroughly enjoy the books from A Raven Above Press, and I'm looking forward to future editions in the Folklore Mini-Series. show less

This review refers specifically to the book with Greenaway's illustrations.

The poem itself is great, of course, and Kate Greenaway's pictures are, as always, charming. They were not, however, originally published with the text, and they change the dynamic of the story slightly (particularly in the final image). She presents an unusual take on Browning's poem. Overall, this book is worth reading, and the illustrations are beautiful, but I'd definitely recommend reading a version without pictures first.

This is a delightful poetic version of this medieval German folktale, which Browning adapted successfully and humorously from the earliest English language version of the legend. It comes with beautiful illustrations by Kate Greenaway.

This is what I believe to be the second (c1927) edition of Rand McNally & Company's first c1910 compilation for elementary teachers of Browning's classic (1842) poem based on the traditional German folktale, with an Introduction by Katharine Lee Bates; astonishing illustrations by Hope Dunlap, dated 1909; a lively dramatization script, by Edith Kunz, for student reading or staged production of the story; and a section of Suggestions to Teachers on how to combine and present the materials for a "rich reading experience," by Agnes M. Doster.

My copy is a family heirloom. I remember, as a child, being utterly captivated by the wonderful medieval-style illustrations and scared to death by the story. It made a vivid impression on me, I'll show more tell you that! Talk about a "rich reading experience." If you love vintage (classic!) illustration and/or have any interest in early 20th century teaching techniques and run across a copy of this gem, grab it! show less

The legend of the lost children of Hamelin (Hameln) has been retold many times, from Goethe's 1803 poem (Der Rattenfänger), to the legend of Die Kinder zu Hameln, to be found in the collection of the Brothers Grimm. English speakers however, are probably most familiar with Robert Browning's poem, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, which was first published in 1842, and which has given its name to most subsequent retellings of the tale, whether in prose or poetry.

In this edition, Browning's work is presented in picture-book format, with illustrations by Anatoly Ivanov. It's interesting to note that although the cover artwork is painted to look like a stain-glass window, the interior illustrations are in a different style altogether - colorful, show more and much more realistic than those to be found in Kate Greenaway's classic edition.

Prompted by a question in the Children's Book group I moderate on another site, I have been rereading the various editions of this tale currently in my collection, and have come to the realization that it is really the story I appreciate, rather than the poem. There are certainly specific passages that appeal to me, but taken all together, I find that I prefer prose retellings, particularly that done by Sara and Stephen Corrin. show less

An absolutely delightful book. Browning's poem is lovely to read aloud (even to yourself) and the illustrations are pure pleasure. I can't wait until my granddaughter is old enough for me to read this to her. (I think I'll wait until she's about three and won't tear the pages...) She won't need to understand all the words, she already loves rhyme and rhythm.

The Pied Piper piped the village free of rats, and when the villagers refused to pay him for the service he piped away their children too.