Rating: 
Summary: A great classic
Review: The illustrations helped support and great tale. My daughter loves it. I know that there are many different versions but I was slightly disappointed that the ending was different from the version I remembered as a child. In this version Rumpelstiltskin flies off on a spoon. The version from my childhood is where Rumpelstiltskin is so mad that he jumps so hard he goes through the floor. Even w/the slightly updated version it's still a classic and must have for nay household.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice pictures, twisted story
Review: This is a nearly verbatim rendition of the Grimms' story, and it's hard to understand why Zelinsky would use his talent to illustrate it for children. Even harder to figure out is how the American Library Association could award its Caldecott Medal for distinguished American picture book for children to any rendition of this dreadful tale: The king threatens to kill the miller's daughter if she can't spin gold from straw. Rumpelstiltskin saves her life by spinning gold for her, but extracts a necklace, a ring and, on the third night of spinning, a promise of her firstborn. She then marries the king, whom Zelinsky depicts as young and handsome. When it comes time for the queen to hand over her newborn, Rumpel agrees to relent if the queen can discover his name. She sends a servant to follow him into the woods and discover the name. So the king, though he looks good, is greedy and brutal. The queen is a victim who agrees to give over a future infant to save her own life, and then depends on an anonymous, unrecognized "servant girl" to save the child. And Rumpelstiltskin, shown as physically unattractive and (the message seems to be) therefore bad, is the one who saved the future queen from execution and then relents on the payment he bargained for. A weird, twisted story that offers nothing for kids, illustrated with Renaissance-style pictures that accentuate the perversity by making the bad guy look good and the guy who saved the damsel in distress look bad.
Rating: 
Summary: A beautiful presentation of a famous tale.
Review: This is a retelling of the famous children's "fairy" tale, first presented by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early 19th century. A young mother has to guess a gnome's name (he had been spinning straw into gold for her) in order to prevent him from taking her new-born babe. This book was a 1987 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. Paul Zelinsky did considerable research to follow the original version of the tale and his art reflects the time period of the story. It is a beautiful book.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful presentation of a famous tale.
Review: This is a retelling of the famous children's "fairy" tale, first presented by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early 19th century. A young mother has to guess a gnome's name (he had been spinning straw into gold for her) in order to prevent him from taking her new-born babe. This book was a 1987 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. Paul Zelinsky did considerable research to follow the original version of the tale and his art reflects the time period of the story. It is a beautiful book.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Illustrations! Great text!
Review: This is a terrific version of the classic story. The illustrations are captivating and the text is wonderful. The Rumpelstiltskin character is a funny little man who rides around on a spoon. If you've ever seen it read on PBS' "Storytime" you'll know what I mean. We checked this book out at the library when my daughter was about 5 years old and we liked it so much that even though she's now 11, she wants to get it!
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully illustrated
Review: This re-telling of the classic tale is absolutely stunning in its illustrations. The storyline definately needs explaining to small children. My 3 year old son wanted to know why the small man could take the Queen's baby away. Of course, Rumpelstilskin never actually takes the baby because the Queen learns his name. However, the premise of the story is unsettling to small kids. Nevertheless, I would not go overboard with political correctness as the story is a classic and so long as you explain the story, your children should enjoy it. I also recommend Mr. Galdone's other books as his illustrations are absolutely wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully illustrated
Review: This re-telling of the classic tale is absolutely stunning in its illustrations. The storyline definately needs explaining to small children. My 3 year old son wanted to know why the small man could take the Queen's baby away. Of course, Rumpelstilskin never actually takes the baby because the Queen learns his name. However, the premise of the story is unsettling to small kids. Nevertheless, I would not go overboard with political correctness as the story is a classic and so long as you explain the story, your children should enjoy it. I also recommend Mr. Galdone's other books as his illustrations are absolutely wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: Don't Leave Home Without It!
Review: This retelling of Rumplestiltskin has fabulous illustrations (especially those depicting the gold) and is wonderfully told. It also manages to make the flaws in the original story (the rupulsiveness of the "king") less gruesome. Don't leave home without it (our family, whose youngest member is fifteen, is about to buy a second copy)!
Rating:
Summary: A Confusing Grimm Brothers Tale with Beautiful Illustrations
Review: This version of Rumpelstiltskin is based on the second edition of the Grimms' work in 1819, with some language from later versions and a few additions by Mr. Zelinsky. All of this is detailed in the author's note at the end of the book. The high points here are the matchless, detailed illustrations that mimic oil paintings in delicate, detailed pastels. These images create a majesty and power that add to the mystery of this most powerful story. This version will leave some unsatisfied for the apparent foolishness of the miller and the needless cruelty of the king.The miller visits the king and brags that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king sends for her, and bids her to do this overnight, or be killed the following morning. She is locked up with a spinning wheel and straw. She weeps in despair because she has no idea of how to do that . . . until a little man comes in and offers to help. She trades her necklace for his aid, and soon the straw becomes golden bobbins of thread. The king likes this and demands that she do it again the next night. The little man again offers to help. She trades her ring this time for his assistance. The king then comes and says she must do it a third time or die. If she succeeds, he will marry her. With nothing left to pay the little man, she has to agree to his request for her first born child. After the child is born, the little man returns for his reward. She persuades him to give her three days to guess his name. If she succeeds, she does not have to give up her child. A servant follows him into the woods and hears him say, "Rumpelstiltskin is my name." The queen "guesses" correctly and he rides off on a spoon never to be heard from again. This story always bothered me when I was a child. Why were the men all so unreasonable? I still find myself feeling that way 50 years later. I avoided reading this story to my children when they were little. I didn't think it had the redeeming values of most folk talkes. The reason for reading this book is to enjoy the illustrations, so I recommend that you get it for yourself (rather than for your child) if you liked the story as a youngster. If you didn't like the story, even the illustrations won't save it for you. The book won a Caldecott Honor for its illustrations. After you finish reading the book or thinking about the story (if you don't read it), I suggest you consider your own conduct to locate any places where you make promises or say things that create problems for others. Be sure you aren't acting like the miller. Act honorably, and inspire that in others!
Rating:
Summary: A Confusing Grimm Brothers Tale with Beautiful Illustrations
Review: This version of Rumpelstiltskin is based on the second edition of the Grimms' work in 1819, with some language from later versions and a few additions by Mr. Zelinsky. All of this is detailed in the author's note at the end of the book. The high points here are the matchless, detailed illustrations that mimic oil paintings in delicate, detailed pastels. These images create a majesty and power that add to the mystery of this most powerful story. This version will leave some unsatisfied for the apparent foolishness of the miller and the needless cruelty of the king. The miller visits the king and brags that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king sends for her, and bids her to do this overnight, or be killed the following morning. She is locked up with a spinning wheel and straw. She weeps in despair because she has no idea of how to do that . . . until a little man comes in and offers to help. She trades her necklace for his aid, and soon the straw becomes golden bobbins of thread. The king likes this and demands that she do it again the next night. The little man again offers to help. She trades her ring this time for his assistance. The king then comes and says she must do it a third time or die. If she succeeds, he will marry her. With nothing left to pay the little man, she has to agree to his request for her first born child. After the child is born, the little man returns for his reward. She persuades him to give her three days to guess his name. If she succeeds, she does not have to give up her child. A servant follows him into the woods and hears him say, "Rumpelstiltskin is my name." The queen "guesses" correctly and he rides off on a spoon never to be heard from again. This story always bothered me when I was a child. Why were the men all so unreasonable? I still find myself feeling that way 50 years later. I avoided reading this story to my children when they were little. I didn't think it had the redeeming values of most folk talkes. The reason for reading this book is to enjoy the illustrations, so I recommend that you get it for yourself (rather than for your child) if you liked the story as a youngster. If you didn't like the story, even the illustrations won't save it for you. The book won a Caldecott Honor for its illustrations. After you finish reading the book or thinking about the story (if you don't read it), I suggest you consider your own conduct to locate any places where you make promises or say things that create problems for others. Be sure you aren't acting like the miller. Act honorably, and inspire that in others!
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