Rumpelstiltskin, retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Publisher:  Dutton Children’s Books
Publication Date: 1986
ISBN:0-525-44903-5

This is a classic retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ Rumpelstiltskin, in which a miller happens to meet a king and falsely brags that his daughter can spin straw into gold.  The gold-loving king sends for the daughter and forces her to spin rooms full of straw into gold or suffer death.  For three nights, a little man name Rumpelstiltskin saves the girl by spinning gold in exchange for two trinkets and the promise of her first-born child.  After the third night, the king marries the daughter and a year later their son is born.  When the fateful day comes that she must give up her son, Rumpelstiltskin allows her three days to guess his name or hand the child over.  With the help of a faithful servant, the queen discovers his identity and Rumpelstilskin flies away on a wooden spoon and is never heard from again.

Zelinsky’s story is a combination of some of the earliest written variants of the Rumpelstiltskin tale, as told in Germany and recorded by the Brothers Grimm.  What really makes this retelling special are the beautiful oil paintings that make up the illustrations.  Using a Renaissance style technique of oil over watercolors,  Zelinsky paints a serene village, a flawless castle, and dull, brown straw that becomes spools of shiny, gleaming, gold thread.  There are museum-quality scenes of the miller’s daughter devastated and crying, being introduced to the scrawny, pointy-nosed elf of a man who saves her, and sleeping on a mountain of thread spools as the pleased king looks in on his new gold fortune.  The light colors turn dark as the scene changes to the grim forest where the servant girl searches for the strange little man who has distressed the king. But all turns bright again when the queen smugly asks, “Is your name Will?....Is your name Phil?....In that case, is your name Rumpelstiltskin?”  The furious little man flies out the window, leaving the queen smiling down at her precious baby who has been saved from an ill fate.  

Folk and fairy tale fans will enjoy  this beautifully done version of a classic tale, as well as other classics by Zelinsky.  The text in this book may be slightly challenging or lengthy for younger readers, but appropriately read aloud for all ages.   Lesson plans written by Deborah Hallen, the author’s wife, are available at http://paulozelinsky.com/rumpelstiltskin_lessons.html 

Awards and Honors:

• Caldecott Honor (1987)
• Redbook Award
• Society of Illustrators and AIGA Certificates of Merit
• Bratislava Biennale Selection
• ALA Notable Book
• SLJ Best Book
• Parents' Choice Award
• Book-of-the-Month Club selection
• White Raven Book selection of the International Youth Library