RUMPELSTILTSKIN: FROM THE GERMAN OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Retold and Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

1.  Bibliography

Zelinsky, Paul O., Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm, Paul O. Zelinsky, and Riki Levinson. RUMPELSTILTSKIN: FROM THE GERMAN OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1986. Print. ISBN: 0525442650

2. Plot Summary

An average miller wanting to impress the king, tells him that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king takes the daughter to the castle and tells her to spin a room of straw into gold or die. The daughter does not know what to do except cry. A little man appears and tells her he can spin the straw into gold in-exchange for a gift. She gives him her necklace, the next night the king brings her to another room of straw that needs to be spun into gold.  The second night she gives him her ring. On the third night the girl has nothing left to give.  The little man asks for her firstborn after she marries the king and she agrees, but she does not think that will happen. After she has her firstborn, the little man reappears to take the baby. The queen begs him not to take her child, so he gives her three days to guess his name. The Queen sends a servant to discover his name and she does. Therefore, the queen gets to keep her son.

3. Critical Analysis
From the author's note at the end of the book, this folktale is based on the 1819 version of RUMPELSTILTSKIN. The author based some dialogue on later versions and also added lines where he felt   the readers needed more understanding.

T

This story has suspense in several aspects. Readers do not know if the daughter will die, if Rumpelstiltskin will return to claim the baby, and if the queen will discover his name in time. Even with the suspense, younger children are able to follow the story because the story line contains few characters and a simple setting. The story portrays good defeating evil because the beautiful queen gets the prince and is able to keep her child.

The pictures are very detailed and rich in color. Readers are able to be taken to the castle, and different parts of the countryside through the art of this book. The illustrations show the depth of the straw, the emotions on the girl's face when she is giving Rumpelstiltskin her items, and the art of a castle. The illustrations in the book make the story come to life for the readers. When Rumpelstiltskin is taking her ring, you can see by the illustrations of her emotions that she is not happy.  When Rumpelstiltskin arrives to claim the baby, you can see the surprise and fear of a mother not wanting this to happen. The illustrations also show that she is worried when trying to come up with his name. The reader is also shown the happiness of a mother who gets to keep her baby.  On the other hand, the illustrations do a wonderful job of showing Rumpelstiltskin's anger when he realizes he does not get the baby. 

This story is one of my favorites from my childhood, especially this book because of the pictures.  My favorite part is that the queen wins in the end. 

4.  Review Excerpts

~1987 Caldecott Honor Book

~BOOKLIST: "A lush and substantial offering"

~SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Without overpowering the text, the illustrations give depth and background, providing exquisite texture and detail."

5. Connections

~Discuss the various character styles present

~Analyze why the father told a lie

6. Other books illustrated Paul O. Zelinsky:
~Z IS FOR MOOSE
~TOYS COME HOME
~RAPUNZEL
~HANSEL AND GRETEL
~TOYS GO OUT

~`~

An