Bryna Untermeyer

This collection of Grimm's Fairy Tales is by no means all of the German fairy tales the brothers collected (the full thing is several volumes), but it does encompass the more famous tales such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Repunsel, Hansel and Gretel, and Sleeping Beauty. There are a multitude of lesser known fairy tales thrown in there as well, but overall they make for an entertaining read--not something you can sit down and read cover to cover (because, let's face it--the narrative style can get repetitive at times), but good stuff nonetheless.

These tales are also in a more unadulterated form than those we were told when we were children--and for good reason. In many cases very morbid details are included in the stories, things that seem more horror story than children's tale. So if you're planning on wooing your children to sleep with any of these tales, it would be best to preview them yourselves before reading them aloud to the little ones.

Overall, though, I quite enjoyed the book. It's a good representation of German folklore that gives a glimpse into the origins of some of the classic fairy tales we've grown up with.… (more)

A few years ago my brother asked for this book for his school but I wouldn't give it to him because I could not bear to part with it, batered though it is. Unfortunately my own daughters have never got into this collection but the extracts from famous children's books like Mary Poppins, Wizard of Oz, Doctor Doolittle and The Hobbit introduced me to a set of books I would probably not otherwise have tried.

In addition to extracts from children's classics the volume contains full sections on fairy stories, with chapters devoted to the works of the brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andesron, Aesops Fables - even Oscar Wilde.

The illustrations are exquisite - taken from many different sources and including the classics such as those by Tenniel [Alice] and the ones for Milne [Pooh] and Grahame [Wind in the Willows].

The term 'treasury' is not hyperbole in this instance: the book may not have been quite as much fun as some others but it provided me with endless hours of delight and entertainment and ushered me into a huge, magical world.… (more)