The straw maid

by Anita Lobel

Forced to cook and clean for three robbers, a little girl tricks them and escapes with their booty.

Genres: Picture Books

56 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Anita Lobel is an illustrator of children's books. Her memoir that depicts her childhood of flight and imprisonment in Nazi-occupied Poland, ''No Pretty Pictures'' was a finalist for the National Book Award.

She has also received the Caldecott Honor Medal.

Reviews

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an admirer of Anita Lobel’s illustrations and I also love folktales with strong female characters that are able to outwit their adversaries, so this was a delightful discovery. My only complaint was that the creator did not credit the source of the adapted tale. But, I am guessing since Ms. Lobel was born in Poland that this folktale is, perhaps, Polish is origin. Regardless of the omission, I enjoyed this storybook.

Parental Content Advisory: Be advised, similar to Snow White and the Huntmen, this tale has a brief implied murder scene.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Straw Maid Written and illustrated by Anita Lobel- Children’s Illustrated Polish Colour Picture Book- The book narrates a Polish folk tale about a young imaginative girl who resides with her parents in a house situated at the edge of the forest. She looks after the cow while her parents farm. One day they have nothing to eat. The girl is sad; she plans to go to the city. While going to the city, she enters a forest and is caught by three robbers. As she has no jewelry and gold to offer them, they take her as a servant and cook for them. In the house, she plans her escape. She finds out honey which she rubs on her body, she takes out feathers from the pillow and pastes them to her body. She places a straw girl with her frock on the window. She runs away with the gold of the robbers. In the way, she meets the robbers and tell them to go fast as their maid has cooked food for her. She reached her house, gave the gold to her parents. They lived happily together. Message Children must have courage in all situations. Coloured illustrations help the reader to relate to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title is thirty five years old, but I still enjoyed it as the illustrations are in a folk art style which comes from Lobel’s early life growing up in Poland. While the story is written in the beginning reader style, it is a folk story of a plucky imaginative young girl saving herself from three robbers as well as saving her family from starving.
I wish more children read more folk and fairy tales today, lots of courage and creativeness present in this title, even if it is about a level three beginning reader.