Step Inside a Fairy Tale

by Helen Mortimer, Lars van de Goor (Photographer), Gabriella Barouch (Illustrator)

Step inside a fairy tale and enter a world of enchantment, courage and hope. Set deep in the wild woods, discover the worlds of eight of your favourite stories including Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and many more.

This exquisitely illustrated treasury brings fairy tale magic to life.

60 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[SBC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very beautiful book, which the title page and back cover states is 'By Lars van de Goor', 'Illustrated by Gabriella Barouch' and 'Retold by Helen Mortimer.' I found the 'By' a bit confusing - the front cover (without any explanatory text) has the names 'Helen Mortimer' then a bit apart 'Lars van de Goor & Gabriella Barouch'. The copyright details credit 'Text' to Helen Mortimer, 'Photographs' to Lars van de Goor, and 'Illustrations' to Gabriella Barouch. It also further notes it was 'Published by Rachel Williams and Jenny Broom', 'Designed by Kim Hankinson' and 'Edited by Polly Whybrow'. There is a Biographies section at the end of the book but spotlights Lars over the other two contributors. My guess is that Lars came up with the idea for the book and his photographs are the basis of Barouch's illustrations, and Mortimer's text was written to accompany the illustrated stories.

The photographs, illustrations, and retold text are all quite beautiful. I only had a chance to read the first story, Hansel and Gretel, before I needed to return the library book, but I really liked the way Mortimer changed the story from one of abandonment to one of accidental separation. Rather than abandoning the children in the woods, the father and mother (not stepmother) go into the forest with the children to find book - "the forest must become our larder" - and the children wander off and are lost.

I hope to borrow the book again sometime to read the rest.