Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children

Containing six enduring tales, this new edition of ‘Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children’ is an absolute delight.

The collection contains two of his best loved and best known stories, ‘The Happy Prince’ and ‘The Selfish Giant’, both tales which I loved as a child. There is always some debate with Wilde’s fairy tales as to whether they are truly meant for children as they are sometimes dark and emotionally charged. I cried for ages on first reading ‘The Happy Prince’- yet borrowed it from the library again and again. However, any adult considering sharing these stories with the children in their lives, whether at home or at school, would be well advised to pre-read them to be able to discuss and enjoy sharing them with younger readers as they feel appropriate.

However, these stories are full of memorable characters and offer so much to discuss and reflect on and this edition is so beautifully illustrated, making it the perfect choice. Pages are edged with papercuts which frame the text and adorn the endpapers whilst gorgeous paintings accompany each story. The style of these give the book a charming, timeless feeling, making this a wonderful collection to introduce children to Wilde’s stories.

Essential for readers young and old!

Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children

Illustrated by Lauren O’Hara

Little Island ISBN: 978-1915071897

Classic Nursery Rhymes and Classic Fairy Tales

These beautiful hardback books, full of vintage artwork, are bursting with classic stories and verses.

‘Classic Nursery Rhymes’ is full of gorgeous watercolour artwork by Dorothy M. Wheeler, Enid Blyton's original illustrator. These beautiful illustrations offer a timeless charm and sense of calm. Each coloured picture is surrounded by a decorative border full of line drawings with a circular vignette showing an additional scene beneath. For children used to bright, bold, chaotic illustrations, this gentle style offers something very different with plenty to provoke discussion. All the favourite rhymes are here and a section at the end gives the sheet music with words for each, allowing those unfamiliar with the tunes to learn and enjoy them.

Anyone not familiar with some of these rhymes should, perhaps, read them before sharing with little ones! ‘The Babes in the Woods’, for example, is about children, who having been ‘stolen away’ lie down and die in the woods, supposed to be inspired by events either in Wayland Wood, Norfolk, or events in 1374 in Lancashire. Classic rhymes are, of course, full of traditional roles with marriage and being pretty high on the agenda for little girls, something which can be discussed as appropriate.

‘Classic Fairy Tales’ contains a selection of stories from Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. Although the text has been slightly adapted, these versions have been kept close to the originals in both language and content. Anyone expecting the sanitised Disney versions will be in for a shock as they read the original story of ‘The Little Mermaid’, wincing with her as her every step feels as if ‘she trod on knives’ and choosing her own death rather than that of the prince or discover that one of Cinderella’s sisters cuts off her toes and one her heel in order to fit into the golden slipper (Charles Perrault’s version talks of glass slippers). However, the magic of these tales has stood the test of time and this collection offers a lovely mixture of favourite stories from the Brothers Grimm and Andersen.

Illustrations by A. Duncan Carse and Charles Folkard add to the ‘classic’ feel of this collection and the overall presentation of both this and ‘Classic Nursery Rhymes’, with their beautiful covers and ribbon markers, makes them perfect for giving, sharing and handing down to future generations.

Classic Nursery Rhymes

Illustrated by Dorothy M Wheeler

Bloomsbury ISBN: 978-1472932389

Classic Fairy Tales

Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm,

illustrated by A. Duncan Carse and Charles Folkard

Bloomsbury ISBN: 978-1801997751

Snow White and other Grimm’s Fairy Tales

The ninth in this stunning series, ‘Snow White and Other Grimm’s Fairy Tales’ would make the perfect gift for any book lover at this-or any- time of year. Twenty of their tales- some better known than others- are included here, making the book a wonderful introduction to the stories gathered by the brothers for those who new to them or a beautiful addition to the shelves of any collector.

Some of the stories have their alternative titles in brackets alongside those which are better known- Snowdrop (Snow White), Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty), Ashputtel (Cinderella), for example, prefect for encouraging discussions about the origins of these tales and how they have changed over the years. Each story is accompanied by beautiful colour illustrations, but some have interactive pictures with fold-outs and flip-ups which really help to bring the tale to life. Cinderella, in her golden gown, stands on the dance floor, Rapunzel’s tower rises from the page, the dancing princesses leap from the book… there is so much to enjoy and return to again and again.

These stories are translations from the original German and so are not the ‘Disneyfied’ versions many know, but contain the darker elements as told to the Grimm Brothers as they collected these stories on their travels. Children will enjoy comparing these to the versions which they know and (in my experience!) revel in the gory details and frissons of fear which they offer.

Of course, one of these beautiful books is never enough and is sure to lead to buying the rest of the collection!

Snow White and Other Grimms’ Fairy Tales

The Brothers Grimm, illustrated by MinaLima

Harper Collins ISBN: 978-0063208247

You can read about my visit to Grimms’ World here.