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The Wild Swans
When her eleven brothers are turned into mute swans by their evil stepmother, brave Eliza endures great suffering to break the spell and rescue them. A story of loyalty, deceit, and the healing power of love, this classic fairy tale is exquisitely illustrated by Susan Jeffers. Luminous new jacket art, newly rendered interior art, and gold foil throughout enhance the wonderment of this glorious, largeformat reissue.
Paperback
First published October 2, 1831
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About the author
Amy Ehrlich
61 books27 followersAmy Ehrlich is the author of more than thirty books for young readers and is also a winner of The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award for her novel Joyride, which was also chosen Booklist Choice Best Book of the Decade. She lives on a farm in Northern Vermont with her husband and a great many domestic and agricultural animals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 22, 2019
A retelling by Amy Ehrlich illustrated by Susan Jeffers. A good retelling of this fairy tale with beautiful and magical illustrations.
There are some wonderful elements to this story, I really like the little details that could only be found in a fairy tale, for example when the childrens father marries the evil stepmother she doesn't let them eat cake or baked apples at the wedding just a bit of sand in a teacup. I enjoyed the creativity of the curses and the impossible tasks that must be performed to free the ones you love. I love the sight and sound of swans flying and always like to imagine they have crowns on when they go overhead!
There are several scary parts to this as you might expect in a fairy tale, some ghouls are shown in the graveyard digging up the recently buried to eat their flesh, which parents of small children might want to be aware of. There is also an odd part when Elise is bathing her stepmother makes some toads go and sit on her to make her ugly and one grasps her breasts but luckily they get turned into poppies. Elise also gets sentenced to death and is about to be burnt alive so usual fairy tale stuff but it all works out well in the end!
There are some wonderful elements to this story, I really like the little details that could only be found in a fairy tale, for example when the childrens father marries the evil stepmother she doesn't let them eat cake or baked apples at the wedding just a bit of sand in a teacup. I enjoyed the creativity of the curses and the impossible tasks that must be performed to free the ones you love. I love the sight and sound of swans flying and always like to imagine they have crowns on when they go overhead!
There are several scary parts to this as you might expect in a fairy tale, some ghouls are shown in the graveyard digging up the recently buried to eat their flesh, which parents of small children might want to be aware of. There is also an odd part when Elise is bathing her stepmother makes some toads go and sit on her to make her ugly and one grasps her breasts but luckily they get turned into poppies. Elise also gets sentenced to death and is about to be burnt alive so usual fairy tale stuff but it all works out well in the end!
August 15, 2025
This rating is for the edition retold by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers.
January 24, 2019
The Wild Swans, illustrated by Susan Jeffers.
Originally published in 1838, Andersen's The Wild Swans - in which a beautiful and virtuous young princess must endure many hardships in order to restore her eleven brothers to their human form, after their wicked stepmother's curse transforms them into swans - has its origins in the Danish folk tradition, rather than its author's fertile imagination. Taken from Matthias Winther's 1823 Danske folkeeventyr (which seems, sadly, never to have been translated into English), it is quite similar to a number of tales from the Brothers Grimm ( The Six Swans , The Twelve Brothers ), as well as the old Irish story of The Children Of Lir .
That folkloric association, which seems to have resulted in a less self-consciously moral tone than can be found in some of the author's original creations, may explain the fact that this has always been one of my absolute favorites, of Andersen's many tales. Elisa's epic quest, her meeting with the good fairy, her perseverance in the face of misunderstanding and persecution - even in the face of the withdrawal of the king's love - all enthralled me as a girl, and I read this story again and again.
This version, adapted by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers, offers an engaging narrative and appealing artwork, and was for many years the only retelling of The Wild Swans in my possession. But although quite fond of it, I had always felt that it fell a little short, when it came to capturing the magic and wonder of the tale, an impression reinforced when I discovered the astonishingly beautiful version illustrated by Anne Yvonne Gilbert. Still, while this Ehrlich/Jeffers undertaking may have been eclipsed, it retains a place in my affections, and is worth seeking out!
Originally published in 1838, Andersen's The Wild Swans - in which a beautiful and virtuous young princess must endure many hardships in order to restore her eleven brothers to their human form, after their wicked stepmother's curse transforms them into swans - has its origins in the Danish folk tradition, rather than its author's fertile imagination. Taken from Matthias Winther's 1823 Danske folkeeventyr (which seems, sadly, never to have been translated into English), it is quite similar to a number of tales from the Brothers Grimm ( The Six Swans , The Twelve Brothers ), as well as the old Irish story of The Children Of Lir .
That folkloric association, which seems to have resulted in a less self-consciously moral tone than can be found in some of the author's original creations, may explain the fact that this has always been one of my absolute favorites, of Andersen's many tales. Elisa's epic quest, her meeting with the good fairy, her perseverance in the face of misunderstanding and persecution - even in the face of the withdrawal of the king's love - all enthralled me as a girl, and I read this story again and again.
This version, adapted by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers, offers an engaging narrative and appealing artwork, and was for many years the only retelling of The Wild Swans in my possession. But although quite fond of it, I had always felt that it fell a little short, when it came to capturing the magic and wonder of the tale, an impression reinforced when I discovered the astonishingly beautiful version illustrated by Anne Yvonne Gilbert. Still, while this Ehrlich/Jeffers undertaking may have been eclipsed, it retains a place in my affections, and is worth seeking out!
October 2, 2009
NOTE: Find Anne Yvonne Gilbert illustations!
JEFFERS VERSION
This is the first time I've read the tale of the wild swans, so I cannot say whether this is a faithful retelling. However, I enjoyed the tale; it was nice to see the beautiful heroine working selflessly for the brothers she loves so dearly; and that they are truly appreciative of her efforts and work to save her in return. The tale is a bit long, and the illustrations are nice without being especially memorable (they seem a little less WOW than other Jeffers illustrations I've encountered) but it's still well worth exploring.
A few cautions: Some parents will not appreciate that the frogs sent by the evil stepmother to turn the maiden ugly grab her hair, her face, and her BREASTS. (She is bathing at the time--modesty is preserved in the illustration.)
Also, the graveyard scene is pretty creepy!!! Of course, some children will enjoy this, though!
JEFFERS VERSION
This is the first time I've read the tale of the wild swans, so I cannot say whether this is a faithful retelling. However, I enjoyed the tale; it was nice to see the beautiful heroine working selflessly for the brothers she loves so dearly; and that they are truly appreciative of her efforts and work to save her in return. The tale is a bit long, and the illustrations are nice without being especially memorable (they seem a little less WOW than other Jeffers illustrations I've encountered) but it's still well worth exploring.
A few cautions: Some parents will not appreciate that the frogs sent by the evil stepmother to turn the maiden ugly grab her hair, her face, and her BREASTS. (She is bathing at the time--modesty is preserved in the illustration.)
Also, the graveyard scene is pretty creepy!!! Of course, some children will enjoy this, though!
January 11, 2017
As a child, this was one of my favorite fairy tales. I doubted that this could live up to my expectations, but it did! The illustrations are beautifully rendered (even the rock in the middle of the ocean), and the adaptation retained the parts I remembered so well.
This fairy tale introduced me to the family of plants known as nettles. I first saw the plant growing in the wild in western Colorado. And, I touched it so I could experience the sting. (Note: I said 'touched.' Not handled or picked or squeezed.)
This fairy tale introduced me to the family of plants known as nettles. I first saw the plant growing in the wild in western Colorado. And, I touched it so I could experience the sting. (Note: I said 'touched.' Not handled or picked or squeezed.)
December 6, 2024
So weird. So glad picture books have come such a long way 😂
June 11, 2007
The story is Hans Christian Anderson, the pictures are Susan Jeffers, and both are beautiful. It's a very haunting story and it was one of my favorites when I was little.
March 20, 2009
Beautiful...My favorite fairie tale when I was a child...I still think of this book when I see swans...
May 20, 2023
The Wild Swans has always been one of my top three favorite Fairy Tales! This story has a lot of things I love: swans, princesses, and some lovely Christian themes. I've never been upset about Princess Elise being "too perfect" because she is meant to be a good moral example! I actually like when Fairy Tale princesses are depicted with only minor flaws. Also, the illustrations are beautiful- Susan Jeffers is so talented, I would read anything she illustrated.
November 15, 2021
I grew up with this gorgeous telling of the classic Andersen tale and, to this day, it remains my favorite fairy tale of all. Amy Ehrlich does a phenomenal job of writing it, and Susan Jeffers's timeless illustrations truly capture the beauty of the tale. This will continue to be a well-beloved story in my house with my children.
December 2, 2017
Beautiful illustrations! We love this fairy tale because the one sister saves all 11 of her brothers. She's a princess who selflessly save the day. So many good principles/lessons/discussiona here. Love this classic!
February 9, 2024
Lovely illustrations.
The story is reminiscent of several other tales of its type, and is told by Erhlich in a style that feels a little overly sentimental to me. (But that may just be a Hans Christian Anderson thing). Still, we love a happy ending for everyone..
The story is reminiscent of several other tales of its type, and is told by Erhlich in a style that feels a little overly sentimental to me. (But that may just be a Hans Christian Anderson thing). Still, we love a happy ending for everyone..
August 30, 2021
Lovely writing. Slightly rushed ending.
February 17, 2013
Mommy's review from 10/4/11 -
Julia kept putting off reading this so I started to think maybe she'd glanced through it and wasn't interested. I don't make her read anything if she doesn't want to so I thought I'd give it a read if all else failed and note that she didn't want to read it.
Well, it turned out she was "saving it for the end because it looks great". *smile* I love this kid.
I haven't read the original telling of this story so I can't compare but Julia and I both really liked this version. I thought it interesting that Julia was able to see similarities between this and Cinderella and talk about the story in more of an adult way than she used to be able to. This impressed her. And so it impresses me.
The illustrations are beautiful. Most of the time that's secondary to me. The story is what I'm interested in. I love, love, love when the images in a book "match" the story but it would have to be pretty bad to take away from the story for me. Jeffers' illustrations are breathtaking though - they'll leave you speechless.
Julia kept putting off reading this so I started to think maybe she'd glanced through it and wasn't interested. I don't make her read anything if she doesn't want to so I thought I'd give it a read if all else failed and note that she didn't want to read it.
Well, it turned out she was "saving it for the end because it looks great". *smile* I love this kid.
I haven't read the original telling of this story so I can't compare but Julia and I both really liked this version. I thought it interesting that Julia was able to see similarities between this and Cinderella and talk about the story in more of an adult way than she used to be able to. This impressed her. And so it impresses me.
The illustrations are beautiful. Most of the time that's secondary to me. The story is what I'm interested in. I love, love, love when the images in a book "match" the story but it would have to be pretty bad to take away from the story for me. Jeffers' illustrations are breathtaking though - they'll leave you speechless.
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April 1, 2016The Wild Swans (1981). Written by Hans Christian Andersen. Retold by Amy Ehrlich. Illustrated by Susan Jeffers. Motif: Evil Stepmother. This retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic folktale begins with "far, far away, in a warm and pleasant land, there once lived a king who had eleven sons and one daughter." Unfortunately for the children, the king marries a wicked queen who despises the children. The evil stepmother sends the only daughter away to a family of farmers and casts a spell upon the brothers that turns them into wild swans. As soon as the sun rises and until nightfall, the brothers remain in the swan-form. After a kind fairy tells the princess how to release her brothers from the spell, she endures great pain to help them return to their human form. Wild Swans has a female character who is a strong, inspiring role model for young readers. Overall, Andersen and Ehrlich describe a beautiful tale of love and sacrifice. Target audience: ages 4-8.
January 9, 2014
Hans Christian Anderson is one of my favorite story tellers, and this particular version of wild swans is no exceptions. What made me give this book a five our of five stars is the illustrations done by Susan Jeffers. Amazing details, colors, that perfectly capture the mood and the feeling of the story. They are just down right beautiful. Honestly I'm going to photocopy the pictures and use them to decorate my home. Anyway, the Wild Swans is an amazing story especially for those looking for a princess saving a boy (in this case 11 boys).
September 25, 2014
I have never read this story before or any retelling of it. However, I thought it was such a wonderful read, but this version of the story had such beautiful pictures to match the unique storyline. It reminded me a lot of the swan princess, which I'm sure that's where the swan princess got it's inspiration from. Either way, to me it was an original and beautiful story coupled with lovely illustrations. It's something that I think I'd read to my children.
February 10, 2009
Like all of the books that have been retold by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers, this is beautiful in both words and pictures. This faithful retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is not a little kids book any more than they would the original REAL "Little Mermaid". But older children and adults will find it wonderful.
September 16, 2021
Impressive illustrations! This was a great retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale. I do wish that the evil stepmother had gotten some kind of punishment at the end, though, and that the king had been reunited with his children. (But this is a fairy tale and they often have loose ends like that.)
September 3, 2018
My very favorite of all the HCA stories. I love the romanticism, the perseverance and steadfastness of the sister princess, and the loyalty of the brother princes. Jeffers' paintings are beautiful and a perfect complement to the story.
September 18, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked how this wasn't a classic fairy tale, but it also had that mystical feeling. I love the fact that the queen had to make sacrifices to save her brothers and how she was so selfless. This book brings out a great moral for all to learn.
January 5, 2015
This was my favorite Christmas gift. I don't know why my father gave the Susan Jeffers books from our childhood away, but I am going to collect every single one of them. They are some of the most gorgeous art I've ever seen.
April 25, 2016
The Wild Swans is a story about a jealous stepmother who tried to make Elisa ugly but failed so she turned her into a swan. Her father throws her out, and the brothers discover that Elisa was turned into a swan. I would use this book to teach inner beauty.
May 1, 2008
This is Ehrlich's retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson fairly tale. What a beautiful story of family love and loyalty!
September 4, 2009
Mommy says: Kept both kids rapt for the whole book. However, typical Hans Christian Anderson (this is s aretelling of his original); there is some violence.
June 22, 2012
I love fairy tales and this one has beautiful illustrations which enhance the story wonderfully! Reading it to my children and of course for myself!
November 14, 2015
My favorite fairy tale. I checked this book out over and over again at the library when I was a child. Beautiful illustrations.
January 24, 2016
Interesting artwork. Not a fan of this retelling but I like the story.
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January 15, 2016beautiful book!
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March 25, 2016Story about a princess who is turned ugly by her evil aunt. Her 11 brothers, who turn into swans at night, help her get her beauty back.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews