The Happy Prince

by Jane E. Ray

Oscar Wilde's moving story of the relationship between a magnificent statue and a little swallow is brought to life by Jane Ray's stunning artwork. Perched on high, the prince's statue can see all the misery of the city and begs the swallow to pluck off his gold leaf and distribute it amongst the poor. First published over one hundred years ago, the fairy tale is recognised as an enchanting masterpiece and this classic picture book is bound to be enjoyed by adults and children alike and treasured forever.

Genres: Picture Books, Classics, Short Stories, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1994

About the author

Born in London, Jane studied art and design at Middlesex University. Her main study was ceramics and she didn't start to illustrate until she left college. Her first published work was a series of greetings cards for Roger la Borde, followed by some book jackets, and eventually black and white illustrations for a poetry anthology with Orchard Books.

Reviews

[Sofia Ophelia 🍉 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Ray has beautifully illustrated and formatted this version of the classic fairy tale story from Oscar Wilde in full colour. It’s very accessible for all ages. Themes & lessons include: loyalty and friendship; remaining humble and helping others no matter what your status and occupation is; the goodness in your heart and actions will never go unnoticed and will be rewarded.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really didn't like these tales. There were several of Oscar Wilde's tales in it and the only one that didn't make me comepletely cringe was the Selfish Giant. I stopped reading after a few tales because they all depressed me. The sad thing is I think some of them could have been beautiful if they had been stopped earlier, but Wilde tacked on an ending that just made no sense and was cruel. It seemed the moral of the stories was very superficial: the only beauty that is worth anything is physical beauty and people who have inner beauty die. The annoying or egotisitcal characters never seemed to learn their lesson. I know it's probably not a realistic thing, but I like happy endings. I like feel good stories where good triumphs and the "bad guy" is defeated or learns his lesson. Call me an idealist. I know a lot of people love these tales...more power to you. I just didn't.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book, Moon Rabbit tells the story of Little Rabbit who has a wonderful home; Her favorite cafe and a park to play in. But sometimes she is just a little . . . lonely. Until one night, as the moon shines brightly, Little Rabbit meets Brown Rabbit and finds a new friend.
The second book, Brown Rabbit in The City focuses more on Brown Rabbit as he is preparing to make his first-ever trip to the city to visit his best friend, Little Rabbit. But the visit doesn’t go quite as planned. Little Rabbit is so busy making sure that they see all her favorite cafés, shops, and museums that she forgets the real reason for Brown Rabbit’s visit—to see her!
This book is an excellent read! Beautiful stories and beautiful illustrations

[Altar Ego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Geschichte scheint mir nicht ganz präzise wiedergegeben, leider. Teilweise verfälscht und nur verständlich, wenn man das Original kennt. DAfür sind die Zeichnungen (mit Goldglitzer!) grandios und daher 4 Sterne.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short story that focuses on comparisons between objects, the idea of intrinsic beauty versus extrinsic beauty. There are ironies of situation and symbolic acts.

Very beautiful children's story from Oscar Wilde.

[Loveeac · Rating 3 out of 5]

narrated by Basil Rathbone. Enjoyed it.