The 12 Dancing Princesses

by Suçie Stevenson, Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm

Where do the king's beautiful daughter disappear to night after night?  And who can solve the mystery of the twelve pairs of dancing slippers, worn to shreds by the morning?

Internationally acclained illustrator Jane Ray brings to vivid life the fun-loving princesses of the classic Grimm fairy tale, as they boldly escape the confines of their father's castle. Each one is a character in her own right—a loving sister and a not-so-dutiful daughter—enjoying their moments of freedom as well as their beautiful brocade ballgowns.

With its sumptuous detailed illustrations and gold and silver highlights, The Twelve Dancing Princesses is the latest jewel in the crown of Jane Ray's retellings of classic stories, which are themselves rapidly becoming modern classics.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Classics

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Suçie Stevenson (1956- ) is an American children's author and illustrator. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1956, she is the daughter of cartoonist and children's author/illustrator James Stevenson, and artist Jane Stevenson. She has lived and worked on Cape Cod for 30 years. She has worked shucking scallops, digging quahogs, hauling bricks as a mason's tender, and as a house painter. The last 25 years have been spent exclusively writing and illustrating children's books and painting pictures.

Suçie Stevenson is the acclaimed author and illustrator of more than 5o books for children, and is best known as the illustrator of the popular Henry and Mudge books by Cynthia Rylant. She also illustrates the Annie and Snowball series by Cynthia Rylant. She and Cynthia Rylant were awarded the first Theodor Seuss Geisel ("Dr. Seuss") medal in 2006 for Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas, by the American Library Association for "The most distinguished contribution to the body of American children's literature known as beginning reader books."

From the artist's website and encyclopedia.com.

Reviews

[Natalie Taggart]

12 Princess sisters sneak out of their bedrooms every night to go dancing together.

[Kat]

Not even close to the original. There is no spell. The princesses dance of their own accord. It moves so far away from the original that I begin to wonder if this is a retelling or a whole new story. The pictures were cute.

[Alex]

Fairytale Story!

[Asha Seth]

Review to follow!