The Frog Prince

by Brothers Grimm Narrated by Gwyneth Martin

Overview

In order to provide English learners with extensive reading pleasure, it consists of jewels that span the East and West, from literary works of famous writers such as Aesop's fables, Andersen, Shakespeare, and picture brothers to traditional fairy tales from all over the world.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 2 Up-- In Lewis' translation of the familiar Grimm tale, a beautiful princess promises to let a frog live with her and be her ``special friend'' if he will retrieve her golden ball lost at the bottom of a well. Then, thinking he can never demand payment, she callously abandons both him and her promise. Later, when the frog appears at her door, insisting to sit at her table and sleep in her bed, she is repulsed and, in a fit of rage, throws him against a wall. It is this act of violence that breaks an evil enchantment and transforms the ugly frog into a handsome prince. Although certain events in the story are compressed and unexplained, the text reads clearly and gracefully. Lewis brings a feeling of inevitability to her telling that makes the loose ends less troubling. She also fleshes out the characters slightly, providing a degree of motivation and sympathy for the usually unlikable princess. But it is Schroeder's illustrations that make this book remarkable. Her muted, misty pictures, filled with bizarre and disturbing elements, convey a strong and appropriate sense of the fantastic. Using a ``freeze frame'' technique reminiscent of cine ma stills, Schroeder is able to isolate individual moments of action, while at the same time pulling viewers into and through the entire event. This technique is especially effective in detailing the pain and horror of the prince's transition and adds depth to an often superficial story. The touch of humor that immediately follows this dramatic scene, when the prince (still dressed in green) ``hops'' into the princess' bed, adds a bit of charm to the tale. Libraries looking for a more standard version of the story may prefer Isadora's The Princess and the Frog (Greenwillow, 1989), but for fascinating illustration that beckons the eye and engages that necessary ``suspension of disbelief,'' this one can't be beat. --Linda Boyles, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL

Booklovers

This book has become a new favorite of mine this year. Fairy tales have been favorites of mine since I was a very small child, and this one is no exception. It deserves attention not only because of the grace and beauty of the illustrations, but also because of the new spin it takes on an old tale. In this story, the princess does not kiss the frog to turn him into a prince. Neither does she fall in love with him. She simply gets angry with him, picks him up, and throws him into a wall. A bit violent perhaps, but I often find myself reading classrooms to groups of children. The three and four year olds in the classroom where I was reading this book erupted into gay shrieks and giggles during this scene. They loved that not only a kiss, but a good knock in the head will also break that nasty witch's spell. As mentioned before, the luminous, living quality of the illustrations tell the story almost by themselves. Sure to enchant with its imagery and simple story, the book is worth experiencing.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172690792
Publisher:	efuture
Publication date:	05/09/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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