#336 of 1001 · July 2, 2021

Moving right along through the week, we come to a Hansel & Gretel by Will Moses, whose detailed oil paintings draw on the tradition of folk art passed down to him by his grandfather. The text is interspersed with vignettes and spot illustrations, with several two-page spreads depicting seeping aerial views of critical plot points. A note for folklore enthusiasts: this is one of the rare adaptations to include one of the darker details from the Grimms’ text. As Hansel and Gretel wait for woodcutter and his wife in the forest, they think they can hear the sound of an ax chopping wood. However, when they go to investigate, they discover that they were in fact hearing the rhythmic clatter of an old branch that their father had tied to a dead tree. Imagine the siblings’ nasty shock of disappointment at suddenly finding themselves abandoned, combined with the horrific realization that their guardians would go to such lengths to coldly deceive them, and understand the despair closing in on the two young protagonists. Moses chooses to have the stepmother play the wicked trick on the children, absolving the father of his active role in the cruelty. #forest #woods #house #witch #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks