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The Seven Ravens
Taking only a loaf of bread, a jug of water, and a wooden stool, the brave girl goes out alone into the wide world. She travels as far as the sun, the moon, and the stats on her adventurous quest for reunion- a journey that test all her powers of courage, faith in forgiveness, and love.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1812
About the author
Lisbeth Zwerger
118 books81 followersLisbeth Zwerger is an Austrian illustrator of children's books. For her "lasting contribution to children's literature" she received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1990.
Born in Vienna in 1954, she studied at the local Applied Arts Academy from 1971 to 1974. Since the publication of her first illustrated book in 1977, she has worked as a freelance picture book illustrator specializing in fairy tales.
Born in Vienna in 1954, she studied at the local Applied Arts Academy from 1971 to 1974. Since the publication of her first illustrated book in 1977, she has worked as a freelance picture book illustrator specializing in fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 13, 2020
The artwork is dark here. It looks like watercolors and charcoal. The art is sparse with not much details. It's not beautiful, but it's interesting.
I haven't read this story and it's a dark story as well. A family with 7 boys finally has a girl and on that day the boys are getting water for the girl and the father wishes they would be turned into ravens because they were slow and so they were. The girl then wants to find her brothers years later and she goes on a quest.
What I love about this is that it's the girl on the quest. That is rarely seen in this age, but it's the girl who needs to rescue her brothers. She goes to the Sun, Moon and Stars for help, which who knew the moon was such a child eater. It all works out as fairy tales do. It's a strange tale to be sure.
The Nephew thought it was a slow story and a bit weird. Why was the sun and moon so scary? They wanted to eat children, that didn't sound right to him. The artwork was grim and he didn't like this story. He gave it 2 stars.
I haven't read this story and it's a dark story as well. A family with 7 boys finally has a girl and on that day the boys are getting water for the girl and the father wishes they would be turned into ravens because they were slow and so they were. The girl then wants to find her brothers years later and she goes on a quest.
What I love about this is that it's the girl on the quest. That is rarely seen in this age, but it's the girl who needs to rescue her brothers. She goes to the Sun, Moon and Stars for help, which who knew the moon was such a child eater. It all works out as fairy tales do. It's a strange tale to be sure.
The Nephew thought it was a slow story and a bit weird. Why was the sun and moon so scary? They wanted to eat children, that didn't sound right to him. The artwork was grim and he didn't like this story. He gave it 2 stars.
August 18, 2025
This rating is for the edition translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford and illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger.
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June 15, 2015Gosto de ler histórias infantis e deliciar-me com as ilustrações. Não ser criança não é impedimento.
October 28, 2016
Bizarre story (even for a fairy tale), interesting illustrations.
November 17, 2010
Welp... I don't remember any Brothers Grimm stories scaring me as a child. And the fact that I'm German made for a lot of them. So I try to remind myself of that fact when I'm certain parts to Julia.
In this awesome little story the seven sons of a man with a newborn baby girl are turned into ravens after a rage filled wish from their father.
The daughter grows up and, after hearing that she had brothers, begins her search. On the way she is given a bone to unluck a door and when she reaches the door she finds that the bone has been lost. This silly little problem doesn't get this girl down! Oh no! What does the girl do? Not being one to get down and out she...... wait for it.... cuts off her finger and sticks the bony part into the lock and, alas, the door opens. Uh, yeah. For what it's worth, I read that to my daughter tonight. I can't help but this I'll be woken up tonight by her screams but I'll just have to wait. I've been reassured that I was always okay with the..... uh, gorier parts of Brothers Grimm books so I'll hope Julia follows in my path on this one.
It's a cool story. Minus the cutting off of little girl fingers and sticking attached finger bones into door locks it is.
In this awesome little story the seven sons of a man with a newborn baby girl are turned into ravens after a rage filled wish from their father.
The daughter grows up and, after hearing that she had brothers, begins her search. On the way she is given a bone to unluck a door and when she reaches the door she finds that the bone has been lost. This silly little problem doesn't get this girl down! Oh no! What does the girl do? Not being one to get down and out she...... wait for it.... cuts off her finger and sticks the bony part into the lock and, alas, the door opens. Uh, yeah. For what it's worth, I read that to my daughter tonight. I can't help but this I'll be woken up tonight by her screams but I'll just have to wait. I've been reassured that I was always okay with the..... uh, gorier parts of Brothers Grimm books so I'll hope Julia follows in my path on this one.
It's a cool story. Minus the cutting off of little girl fingers and sticking attached finger bones into door locks it is.
June 18, 2020
Like many Grimm's fairy tales, this one is rather bizarre and a bit gory, but it will also be new to many readers who are used to the more popular stories. This story sported unique and a bit dark watercolor illustrations.
October 18, 2019
I read this book some years ago. I loved the imaginative illustrations, by the gifted Belgian illustrator Henriette Sauvant. Some of the images might be characterized as quirky, but I found them refreshingly innovative. "The Seven Ravens" is one of the lesser known Grimms' fairy tales. In this book, the story itself was not much altered from Grimms' original, so there isn't much to comment on about the writing itself.
March 18, 2021
Read this to my 5 year old brother last night.
The girl looses the bone. On no! Obviously the only logical reason is to.... cut off your own finger and stick the bony bit in the lock!
I got someone in my bed at 3am last night :(
The girl looses the bone. On no! Obviously the only logical reason is to.... cut off your own finger and stick the bony bit in the lock!
I got someone in my bed at 3am last night :(
February 27, 2026
zwerger is truly one of the greatest fairytale illustrators ever imo, up there with the likes of neilsen and rakham. she goes with darker watercolors in this one, but maintains her sense of space. i love her trollish moon and stars who look as though they were costumed by méliès.
March 9, 2018
a very quick read ... Grimm fable, kids' book
As usual, I love Lisbeth's artwork, hence the 5 stars
As usual, I love Lisbeth's artwork, hence the 5 stars
June 2, 2018
Overall, a weird story that didn't feel like all the parts were there.
November 5, 2025
Not one of the better Grimm's tales.
February 27, 2015
This book is very reminiscent of "The Twelve Brothers" but without a Maleficent type curse.
Instead, it's the dad who curses his 7 sons cuz he's ticked off that they aren't getting the water to baptize their sickly sister baby.
The sickly sister baby grows up beautiful and healthy and learns she has raven brothers.
She goes to look for them and the parents are cool with this cuz who wouldn't let their little kid run off looking for raven brothers?
The sister must trip on acid or something cuz she visits the sun, and the moon, and the stars. The stars tell her that her bird brothers are in a glass mountain and then give her some KFC so she can get into the mountain.
Sister looses her chicken leg and figures she might as well chop off her finger to get into the mountain. Apparently the KFC was to be used as a key. I'm guessing the Colonel would have a field day in there.
So, a dwarf is like "YO! The birds ain't home but I'm gonna fix their din din in a minute".
Because they are related or something the sister figures it's cool to eat and drink off all her bird brothers' plates and drop a ring in one of their glasses.
The bird brothers are pretty steamed that a human has touched their pimp cups but when they see the bling she left them they are cool and turn back into humans.
Instead, it's the dad who curses his 7 sons cuz he's ticked off that they aren't getting the water to baptize their sickly sister baby.
The sickly sister baby grows up beautiful and healthy and learns she has raven brothers.
She goes to look for them and the parents are cool with this cuz who wouldn't let their little kid run off looking for raven brothers?
The sister must trip on acid or something cuz she visits the sun, and the moon, and the stars. The stars tell her that her bird brothers are in a glass mountain and then give her some KFC so she can get into the mountain.
Sister looses her chicken leg and figures she might as well chop off her finger to get into the mountain. Apparently the KFC was to be used as a key. I'm guessing the Colonel would have a field day in there.
So, a dwarf is like "YO! The birds ain't home but I'm gonna fix their din din in a minute".
Because they are related or something the sister figures it's cool to eat and drink off all her bird brothers' plates and drop a ring in one of their glasses.
The bird brothers are pretty steamed that a human has touched their pimp cups but when they see the bling she left them they are cool and turn back into humans.
April 27, 2024
Esta é uma história da tradiçãooral (que não deve ser confundida, como muitas vezes o é, com uma história infantil). Sim, os temas abordados são esquisitos para a nossa maneira de pensar: pais que repudiam os filhos, meninas que partem em busca da salvação dos seus irmãos (e que, para isso, decarnam o seu dedo para dele fazerem uma chave)... Enfim, coisas estranhas, mas que tinham a sua função pedagógica (embora não pareça) quando eram contadas à volta de uma lareira... Autênticas histórias sobre como enfrentar o mundo e deixar a infância para entrar na idade adulta.
Este ciclo de histórias sobre a menina que slava os irmãos de uma maldição existe em diersas versões e descobrir o porquê desses elementos que hoje nos soam macabros é metade da diversão de os ler.
As ilustrações de Lisbeth Zwerger acabam "abafadas" pela história e não são memoráveis.
Este ciclo de histórias sobre a menina que slava os irmãos de uma maldição existe em diersas versões e descobrir o porquê desses elementos que hoje nos soam macabros é metade da diversão de os ler.
As ilustrações de Lisbeth Zwerger acabam "abafadas" pela história e não são memoráveis.
September 17, 2020
I have the complete set of the Grimm Fairy-Tales, and there are so many that I haven’t read! They are very short, as one would know, so I have decided to read each one and give them a review. Some are very vulgar, some are very cute and some don’t even make sense. Some of them are well known fairy-tales and some have never been told. Some are fairy-tales we know but are not the same because they have been downplayed for the children.
This story is a lot like The Twelve Brothers. So I would just tell you to look back at that review.
Family wins over all. Siblings win over all. Siblings will cut off their own fingers to find each other. Or so this story says.
This story is a lot like The Twelve Brothers. So I would just tell you to look back at that review.
Family wins over all. Siblings win over all. Siblings will cut off their own fingers to find each other. Or so this story says.
November 3, 2013
A rash reaction by an impatient father turns his seven sons into ravens and leaves his youngest child, a daughter, lonely as an only child. Her parents withhold this tragedy from their daughter, but when the daughter is older, she overhears people talking about her seven brothers. She feels responsible for their misfortune and determines to search to the ends of the earth to find them and rescue them. Children will enjoy this story about misfortune and determination, in part because of the story but also because of Zwenger’s excellent watercolor illustrations.
October 3, 2016
I learned how to write cursive rewriting each line of this book five times on a sheet of paper. I'm not fond of that memory as my mother was a harsh and cruel taskmistress, but I remember loving (I still do) the artwork. It had a dark and dreamy mystical quality, and the large moon and stars sitting on stools simultaneously attracted and terrified me.
Totally recommend this book to young kids for bedtime stories, but please, don't force them to copy line after line because that'll totally ruin the story.
Totally recommend this book to young kids for bedtime stories, but please, don't force them to copy line after line because that'll totally ruin the story.
November 4, 2011
1)This book fits in the catergory: A fairy tale by the brothers grimm
2)I decide to read this beacuse it was written by the brothers grimm
3)I liked the storyline of it because it was unpredictable and the story could go either way at anytime.
4)I didnt like that it was short because I wanted to read more of what the parents reaction was when the siblings had gotten home.
5)I would reccomend this book to people who havent read a brothers grimm tale before.
2)I decide to read this beacuse it was written by the brothers grimm
3)I liked the storyline of it because it was unpredictable and the story could go either way at anytime.
4)I didnt like that it was short because I wanted to read more of what the parents reaction was when the siblings had gotten home.
5)I would reccomend this book to people who havent read a brothers grimm tale before.
February 29, 2016
Good book, sweetly told. Instead of a narration I decided to use one of Read-Aloud Revival's open-ended questions. This book lends itself to asking, "Who was the bravest?" "Who was the most sorry? "Who was the angriest, happiest?" My seven year old had some great insight. My boys ages 7 and 4 didn't mind about the gory finger cutting, which is the reason for many of the low-starred reviews.
February 9, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book but there was so parts I do not recommend for children. The little girl goes to find her brothers, who turned in ravens after disobeying their father, the girl cut a finger off and I just thought that shoiuldn't be for young children.
September 16, 2016
Girl goes on a grand adventure to save her brothers.
I loved this one. The brothers were so excited to have a little sister, and never forgot her even though they were enchanted. The sister went on this epic adventure to the ends of the earth and sacrificed to save the brothers she'd never known.
I loved this one. The brothers were so excited to have a little sister, and never forgot her even though they were enchanted. The sister went on this epic adventure to the ends of the earth and sacrificed to save the brothers she'd never known.
July 24, 2012
Beautiful illustrations and a tale I hadn't heard before. Though a bit gruesome (esp for kids), the use of her finger bone as a key is a startling, yet beautiful image.
May 7, 2014
This is a sweet story of a sister's sacrifice for her brothers. The best thing about this book is are the illustrations by Lisbeth Zwerger....so beautiful.
December 21, 2014
Love the art, but found the story too short, too light.
July 18, 2015
Gorgeous illustrations. Delightfully gory in the right places.
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September 18, 2015nice book
October 16, 2015
A nice tale about the sacrifice of a sister for her 7 brothers. And yes, this is a medieval tale, so her sacrifice is a bit gruesome.
July 31, 2007
Grimm little book...
April 18, 2017
I don't understand one thing... whichever Grimms' Tales I am reading, I am finding them either absurd, boring or nonsensical!! How can they be considered as fairy tales? They are not enjoyable! >.<
For example, in this story the girl (protagonist) cuts her finger to unlock a door because she had lost the key! What can kind of weird technique is this? How can someone even right this as part of the story?? And these are for children? :/
I will never recommend any child to read such stupid stories!! There is no moral to learn here. I don't know how these tales became popular! or maybe this was their style of writing but I am not liking the story line of these tales.. They are very forced!
For example, in this story the girl (protagonist) cuts her finger to unlock a door because she had lost the key! What can kind of weird technique is this? How can someone even right this as part of the story?? And these are for children? :/
I will never recommend any child to read such stupid stories!! There is no moral to learn here. I don't know how these tales became popular! or maybe this was their style of writing but I am not liking the story line of these tales.. They are very forced!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews