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The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales has so many wonderful elements. One thing I really like is that it not only includes well-known fairy tales such as Cinderella or Jack and the Beanstalk, but also lesser known fairy tales so that children get some exposure to fairy tales that aren't just European or American. Speaking of that, the book even labels the origin of each fairy tale in the table of contents and on the page where the story begins. The countries range from France to Japan to Costa Rica to Kenya to Brazil to Iran and everywhere in between; readers get a sense of multicultural fairy tales and their beliefs. Another element I enjoy is the fact that there are sidebars with informal text to give the background of the time period or certain traditions in the culture from which the the fairy tale originates.I think the big idea of the book is that fairy tales don't just show children that every ends with a happily ever after, and sometimes bad experiences can teach valuable lessons. ( )

In The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales retold by Neil Phlip, I read the story The Unknown Sister. Immediately, I loved the layout of this story; there are illustrations scattered across the pages with informative captions to help the reader understand the story to the fullest degree. The extra textual features tell the reader where the story originated, and gives some background about the story to guide the reader during the story. I also thought it was extremely helpful that they listed the country of origin right next to the fairy tale name, so readers can easily see where this story originated from. Although the plot was slightly rushed, I felt as though I was engaged throughout the entire story. As a reader, I felt tension and suspense when the sister found her brothers; I thought they were going to kill her! I think the best aspect of this story is that it’s simple and direct with rising and falling action. These types of stories are important to read because it can broaden perspectives on different cultures and perspectives. ( )

I really liked this compilation of fairytales because it includes obscure fairy tales in addition to the popular ones. I really like the organization of the writing. The book is divided into four sections: Under a Spell, Riches & Rags, Heroes & Heroines and True Love Conquers All. I also like that the author provides background information on each tale. He tells the country of origin and a brief history of what is known about the tale's origin. This intrigued me because I had no idea that Cinderella actually originated in China because a small foot was a sign of beauty. I also liked the illustrations. The illustrator, Nilesh Mistry, gave his pictures an old-fashioned vibe that sets the tone for the story telling. I also liked that he captioned each picture so that young readers are able to piece together each story before they knew how to read fluently. Lastly, I appreciated that the pictures were small but there were enough to illustrate all of the main details of the story. I've found that usually when chapter books include pictures, they don't usually add too much to the story. Mistry did a good job of keeping the pictures small but vital. Fairytales stem from times before most people could read so storytelling was a vital part of their entertainment and education. Therefore, there are many messages within this book as it's a compilation of many stories designed to teach a lesson. ( )

Retold by Neil Philips, illustrated by Nilesh Mistry. Reader's Digest publication, 1997. 50 traditional tales, with sidebar notations on themes common to folklore all over the world. ( )