Hansel and Gretel A darkly brilliant fairy tale, By: Neil Gaiman, Lorenzo Mattotti (Illustrator), 2014, Out Of Print New
A visually stunning reimagining of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel by master storyteller Neil Gaiman, beautifully illustrated by the award-winning Lorenzo Mattotti
The enduring story of the children, the breadcrumb trail and the gingerbread house is brought to life by master storyteller, Neil Gaiman. Who better to retell the Brothers Grimm's greatest, and perhaps darkest, fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel? Coupled with breathtakingly haunting illustrations from Lorenzo Mattotti, you will be enticed into the world and into the woods . . . so beware.
About the Author
Neil Gaiman has written highly acclaimed books for both children and adults and is the first author to have won both the Carnegie and Newbery Medals for the same work - The Graveyard Book. The L.A. Times has described his multi-million-selling graphic novel series Sandman as 'the greatest epic in the history of comic books'. Many of his books, including Coraline and Stardust, have been made into films. Neverwhere has been adapted for TV and radio and American Gods is in development as a major HBO series. He has also written two amazing episodes of Doctor Who and appeared in The Simpsons as himself. In 2013 he published his first adult novel for seven years, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which received stellar reviews and was a bestseller around the world.
Lorenzo Mattotti is an illustrator and comics/graphic novel artist. His illustrations have been published in magazines including Cosmopolitan, Vogue, The New Yorker, Le Monde and Vanity Fair. In 2003 Mattotti won an Eisner Award for his Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde graphic novel.
We all know the story of Hansel and Gretel — the brother and sister abandoned in the woods by their father, who stumble across a gingerbread house and then find themselves at the mercy of an evil old woman. It's a classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, but it's also probably considered to be one of their darkest.
In this beautiful new edition, master storyteller Neil Gaiman has stayed true to the original version we know and love. However, in a fascinating couple of pages at the back of the book, we are also told how the story has evolved over the centuries, and how variations of it can be found in folk literature around the world.
Lorenzo Mattotti's illustrations are haunting. Starkly black and white, they lead readers into a shadowy world and, I must admit, might seriously unsettle some younger readers. Neil Gaiman's text flows easily, however, perfectly evoking that fairy-tale land where good and evil collide.
This would be a great gift for older children who have moved beyond the gentler, lighter versions of the classic fairy tales and are ready for something requiring a little more daring and courage.
Title: Hansel and Gretel: A Darkly Brilliant Fairy Tale
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Lorenzo Mattotti
Publisher: Bloomsbury, $19.99 RRP
Publication Date: November 2014
Format: Hardcover with jacket
ISBN: 9781408861981
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior FictionA visually stunning reimagining of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel by master storyteller Neil Gaiman, beautifully illustrated by the award-winning Lorenzo Mattotti
The enduring story of the children, the breadcrumb trail and the gingerbread house is brought to life by master storyteller, Neil Gaiman. Who better to retell the Brothers Grimm's greatest, and perhaps darkest, fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel? Coupled with breathtakingly haunting illustrations from Lorenzo Mattotti, you will be enticed into the world and into the woods . . . so beware.
About the Author
Neil Gaiman has written highly acclaimed books for both children and adults and is the first author to have won both the Carnegie and Newbery Medals for the same work - The Graveyard Book. The L.A. Times has described his multi-million-selling graphic novel series Sandman as 'the greatest epic in the history of comic books'. Many of his books, including Coraline and Stardust, have been made into films. Neverwhere has been adapted for TV and radio and American Gods is in development as a major HBO series. He has also written two amazing episodes of Doctor Who and appeared in The Simpsons as himself. In 2013 he published his first adult novel for seven years, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which received stellar reviews and was a bestseller around the world.
Lorenzo Mattotti is an illustrator and comics/graphic novel artist. His illustrations have been published in magazines including Cosmopolitan, Vogue, The New Yorker, Le Monde and Vanity Fair. In 2003 Mattotti won an Eisner Award for his Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde graphic novel.
