Trail of Stones

by Gwen Strauss, Anthony Browne (Illustrator)

As they enter the dark wood, familiar fairy tale characters confront the issues of fear of love, shame, grief, jealousy, loneliness, and joy in this illustrated collection of poems

Genres: Poetry, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Fiction

35 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Gwen Strauss is an award-winning children’s book author and poet, whose titles include Trail of Stones, The Night Shimmy, Ruth and the Green Book, and The Hiding Game. Her poetry, short stories and essays have appeared in numerous places including The New Republic, New England Review, Kenyon Review, London Sunday Times and Catapult. Her forthcoming adult non-fiction book, The Nine will be released in eight countries in 2021 and is currently in development for a TV series. She lives in Southern France where she works as the Director of the Dora Maar House, an artist residency program.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my own opinion, this is more artsy-fartsy and self-indulgent, and less successful. Not a bad book, and it's always good to see stories from another perspective, to have our assumptions shaken. But I was mostly bored when I wasn't feeling the squick, and so I cannot recommend it. I definitely do not recommend it for under age 12.

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of very clever poems written by Gwen Strauss and illustrated by Anthony Browne. They have both also collaborated on The Night Shimmy which is excellent. This book contains several very dark post-story versions of famous fairy tales and sees them in a far more personal, haunting manner from one of the key characters. The language is extremely rich and figurative and the idea is certainly an excellent one to take to the classroom. Definitely for Yr6 (maybe Yr5) +

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not primarily a children's book. Gwen Strauss has chosen unusual perspectives -- the father's regret for sending Hansel and Gretel into the woods, the dwarf's missing Snow White while realizing they were never going to have more than a casual relationship. In rereading the old tales, she rediscovered elements that are often forgotten, particularly in the cleaned-up versions presented today to children, but are very meaningful: In the original story, Rapunzel's prince falls from the tower into thorny bushes; his eyes are scratched and he wanders sightless through the forest before finding her again. Anthony Brown's illustrations pick up beautifully on Strauss' poetic insights. All in all, a fine production, best enjoyed if you have been exposed to the original Grimm Brothers' versions of the tales.

[❄Elsa Frost❄ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt more like a poetry chapbook than Anne Sexton's Transformations did. It also displayed unique points of view within these fairy-tale poems, and so it felt more unique to me than Anne Sexton's book did. This is how you do a fairy-tale poetry chapbook, y'all.

However, I felt some poems could have used stronger language to emphasize a point. Although it was unique, it still felt like there was a little bit lacking in terms of language and strong imagery. So I have to commend Gwen Strauss for making her poems feel like actual poetry. I think this is the best fairy-tale poetry chapbook I've read thus far.

[Steph Lovelady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short collection of poems based on fairy tales but told from a different point of view than usual (e.g. in the opening poem, Hansel and Gretel gets told from the perspective of the guilty father; in the next one Snow White is told from the perspective of the witch). Accompanied by black and white illustrations. Quite enjoyable.

[Michael Earp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some quite stunning poems looking at fairy tales from different angles. And Anthony Browne's insightful line drawings are wonderful too.

[maryam :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruined childhood stories in the best way possible. However, the writing was pretty average and quite unlike what I believe the writer was going for

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book of poems based on fairy tales many of us have grown up with. WARNING: do not read this if you're looking for a light-hearted book to lift your spirits.

This is not that book.

The poems are written from perspectives normally not considered.

"Their Father." This is the poem of Hansel's and Gretel's father as he sits alone, awash in grief and guilt. It is a complex and acrid love story.

From "Confessions of a Witch" (from Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs.)

"No spell works the same way twice.
The need grows deeper. So does the cost."

From "The Prince" (of the Rapunzel tale). A love poem, still, it has dark edges.

"For a long time I was blind,
even before the thorns tattered my eyes."
or
". . . After I fell from your tower,
I wandered through tangled forests. . .

. . . the loamy smell of mushrooms and loss
clung to my fingers. I learned how to cry."
or
"If I were to ask how you grew a garden
in this wasteland, you would say,
'A river of tears, and a desert's patience."

From "The Beast" (from sometime after he met Beauty)
"The heart survives, waits, grows uglier.
This morning I know, she is not coming back.

The heart is the last organ to die.
The heart waits. The heart eats away at anything.
The heart builds a prison. My heart mocks me,
beating a sound like her footsteps,
drawing near."

Despite the shadows and everything that creeps in them,
I've liked this book for years. I recommend it to the stout of heart. Which "eats away at anything."






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[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

A college professor lent me this book years ago and afterwards I turned libraries upside down looking for it. I've always loved fairy tale retellings... Trail of Stones puts a twist on the perspectives, stepping into the shoes of the Beast, the father of Hansel and Gretal, the witch from Snow White... in poetry form.

This simple twist in perspective was tremendously influential to me in my own writing. This one has a place on my desk with the 'best' books and is one of my all time favorites. :)

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate how the poems allude to and attempt to speak to Sexton's Transformations and, also, how the perspective shifts. However, the style/poetics didn't make my inner ear swoon. Once my inner ear swoons, then I'm compelled to read aloud...

Browne's monochromatic, pen-and-ink illustrations teem with Oedipal/Freudian undertones that the darker part of your inner psyche wishes only to subvert. I might venture to say that these images stick more in my mind than the poetry.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poems based on fairy tales.

[Bridgett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poems were nice and gave a different perspective than usual on some fairy tales, though the book is very short.

[Bridgett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the twists on fairy tales in these poems, but the book was really short.