About the Author

Edith Baudrand is a children's book illustrator and set designer living in Paris, France. Charles Perrault was a French author and member of the Academie Francaise. He laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from pre-existing folk tales. The best known of his tales include Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), Cendrillon (Cinderella), Le Chat Botte (Puss in Boots), La Belle au bois Dormant (The Sleeping Beauty), and Barbe Bleue (Bluebeard).

Reviews

"The fanciful illustrations and small square format make the series especially inviting." -- Publishers Weekly "A pretty little series...with bright colorful illustrations--all very artistically done. -- Parade "...just the right size for preschoolers' little hands. The books...are beautifully illustrated and bound well enough to withstand nightly rereading. -- Wilmington News Journal "Burstingly colorful paintings." -- Daily News

Long before Gutenberg and since his time, storytellers have enjoyed the privilege of adapting, retelling tales rooted in widely different cultures. Perrault's ``Cinderella,'' for example, was an established heroine in folklore around the world, centuries before the French writer wrote about the abused maiden. Ehrlich's retelling differs from others' but it's absorbing, easily grasped and no less rewarding than the many versions available, except in one instance. There is no mention of the mean stepmother after Ehrlich introduces her. Gazing at the beautiful, ingenious, color-rich paintings, one forgets such quibbles. The illustrations display Jeffers's gifts at their dazzling best, particularly when she shows the noble steeds prancing and tossing their heads as they carry Cinderella to the ball. The author and the artist have been praised for their previous adaptations of classic tales, but this surpasses them all. (48)