Classic Fairy Tales
Classic Fairy Tales is a much-praised retelling of twelve of the most popular fairy tales in the world, beautifully illustrated by Jane Ray. It has been translated into many languages and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway award.
Available from Amazon.
Illustrated by Jane Ray. Published by Walker Books, 2016, hardback ISBN 9781406365962, paperback edition September 2018: ISBN 9781406379891. Originally published by Walker Books in 1999 and Walker Books Illustrated Classics (paperback), 2009.
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Fairy stories are enchanted dreams; we remember them as if they had been sung to us when we were under the spell of a long, deep sleep.
This wonderful book creates a jewel-like world of enchantment studded with Jane Ray’s gold-ecrusted, richly coloured drawings.
The Guardian
Classic Fairy Tales was also published in China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the USA.
Classic Fairy Tales was shortlisted for the Greenaway Medal (for Jane Ray’s illustrations).
‘Classic Fairy Tales’ contents
- Cinderella (Ashputtel)
- The Sleeping Beauty in the Forest
- Beauty and the Beast
- Rumpelstiltskin
- Rapunzel
- Snow White (Snowdrop)
- Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp
- The Fire-Bird
- Hansel and Gretel
- The Frog Price
- The Wild Swans (Snow-rose)
Why and how I wrote ‘Classic Fairy Tales’
Classic Fairy Tales was a dream commission from Walker Books, and I enjoyed every minute of writing the stories. An even greater joy then was to see the book growing, with the exquisite illustrations of Jane Ray and the inspired design of Amelia Edwards. Every page is decorated, and I feel really privileged to have been invited to be part of this project. The book was shortlisted for the Greenaway Medal, which is the highest award given to an illustrator.
We have inherited fairy stories from our ancestors.
Just think about that. Hundreds of years ago, some of the same stories were being told by parents to children.
I chose my favourite stories, in consultation with Jane Ray and my editor Wendy Boase, and went back to early English language sources. Some of these stories have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years, and belong to many cultures in slightly different forms. I wanted to be true to the original or to the most commonly surviving source. My belief is that when you rewrite a story you don’t meddle with it – you don’t change the ending or what happens to reach that ending – that is the essence of the story, and the reason why it has survived for so long.
…as the day was ending there was a sudden rushing and beating of wings and with a strange, sad cry eleven swans flew out into the night… Snow-rose dreamed about her brothers but didn’t know they were there, changed into swans and gliding above her rooftop.
Perfect in every aspect… there is literally and metaphorically, gold on every page. Both the stories and the pictures move the readers with unfamiliar freshness.
The Sunday Times
How do you retell a story?
Write down the essence of the story, its bones, in maybe five or six sentences, not more than ten. You must include all the main characters, but you can add some of your own. You must preserve the main problem of the story – the jealous sisters, the wolf in the woods, the rash promise to a frog. Don’t change the ending of the original story – you’ll spoil it.
Then you write the story in your own words, putting in colour or light or warmth or shadows. In Classic Fairy Tales the finished story would come to about two thousand words. I tried out every story by reading them first to the children of Edale school, a couple of miles over the fields from where I live, and then sent it to Jane Ray to see if she would like to illustrate it. That part of the creation would be entirely hers.
Dedication
Classic Fairy Tales is dedicated to the memory of Wendy Boase, my editor at Walker Books, whose dream it was and who died before it was completed.
‘Classic Fairy Tales’ sources
- Alexander N. Afanashev (1826–71) The Fire-Bird
- Hans Christian Andersen (1805–75) The Wild Swans
- Antoine Galland (1646–1715) Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp
- Brothers Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1805–1875) Grimm, (Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, The Sleeping Beauty in the Forest and Snow White)
- Madame Le Prince de Beaumont (1711-80) Beauty and the Beast
One of the stories that I originally wrote for this book was Jack the Giant-Killer. It didn’t fit in to this collection but I used it as the springboard for my short novel for younger readers, The Famous Adventures of Jack. Another fairy tale that I have retold is The Snow Queen, which is published by Scholastic.
Berlie Doherty with her unique style manages to bring classic Fairy Tales such as Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty to life once more in this truly gorgeous picture book. Inside are some surreal, elegant and always exquisite illustrations from Jane Ray, which complement the text superbly. Prepare to be enchanted!
LoveReading4Kids
If you enjoyed reading ‘Classic Fairy Tales’…
Other books you might like are The Three Princes, The Famous Adventures of Jack, The Snow Queen and Tales of Wonder and Magic.
With a poet’s ear and deep respect for the magic at the heart of our most resonant fairy tales, acclaimed author Berlie Doherty casts a sumptuous spell. Her masterful and authentic retellings of twelve treasured tales are well-matched by Jane Ray’s evocative illustrations. Teeming with rich colours, golden trim patterns, silhouettes, and symbols, these pictures – like the timeless stories they interpret – are to be pored over and cherished. Come back to CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE FROG PRINCE, and eight other beloved tales. Enter a haunting world of magic and enchantment.
Goodreads
Which is your favourite fairy story? Why do you like it? Is it scary, a bit? Is it magical? Does the ending make you happy? Choose the one you like best, and retell it in your own words. Write it as simply as possible at first, in not more than ten sentences, then build it up with dialogue and description to make it your own story.