Grimms' fairy tales

Twenty stories from the Brothers Grimm receive boldly inclusive updates. The collection balances familiar favorites like "Sleeping Beauty" and "Puss in Boots" with lesser-known gems such as "Jorinda and Joringel" and "Mother Holle." Dieckmann makes changes to incorporate contemporary values around gender and sexuality; she often refers to babies asthem, while same-sex couples appear dancing front and center at Cinderella's ball. The work sometimes departs from the original plotlines in surprising ways--"Rapunzel," for instance, introduces protective animals that don't appear in the Grimm version. Unlike many modern children's adaptations, the tales don't shy away from the hardships, dangers, and consequences that give these stories their emotional impact, retaining elements such as beheadings and infidelity. The illustrations are the volume's greatest strength. Dieckmann's use of rich, saturated colors creates an enchanting atmosphere--deep forest greens, cool night blues, and warm golden yellows bring the scenes to life. Her decorative borders are particularly thoughtful, reflecting and enhancing each story's setting, such as the intricate flowers, mushrooms, and small woodland creatures that frame "Cinderella" and the moody blue and white nighttime foliage surrounding Hansel and Gretel's forest journey. Characters are diverse in terms of skin tone, hair color, and body type. A beautifully illustrated and thoroughly modern fairy-tale anthology. (afterword)(Anthology. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.