Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter

Posted by: kdigan2340 on: March 13, 2009

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Stanley, D. (1997). Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter. New York, NY: Morrow Junior Books.

Genre: Folklore/Fantasy

Grades: Ages 4-8 years old

Diane Stanley’s unique rendition of the classic fantasy tale Rumpelstiltskin is presented in a modern twist appealing to a wide range of  young readers. Similar to the traditional story, the greedy king imprisons the miller’s daughter for her father’s boastful and inaccurate claim that she can spin straw into gold. The daughter finds help and security in the heart and talent of Rumpelstiltskin who fulfills the task of weaving the gold for her late at night.  She falls madly in love with him and they escape, marry, and produce a life for themselves in the countryside. Soon after, they have a daughter named Hope who annually travels to the kingdom’s village to sell the golden coins spun by her father. The king hears news of this newfound young talent distributing gold coins and subsequently imprisons her demanding she also weave straw into gold. In the end and in a rare twist of fate, Hope designs a subtle scheme to relieve the oppression of the citizens by manipulating the king’s naivety and gaining supreme status in his court. She embodies the role of a modern heroine in a quirky, humorous tale of hope and unexpected achievement.

The illustrative components of this book are outstanding. Diane Stanley creates detailed and colorful pictures that are accurate of Rumpelstiltskin’s 19th century setting. She creatively implements the famous paintings of such prominent artists as da Vinci and Picasso in the background scenery of the pictures; and uses her experience in medical illustration to design elaborate characters, entertaining plot scenarios, and effective themes.

http://www.dianestanley.com/index.htm

Author/Illustrator: Diane Stanley

Diane Stanley, born in Abilene, Texas, credits her love of children’s literature to the inspirations from her mother, also an author in the 1950s, as well as her three children. Once a medical illustrator, Stanley published her first children’s book in 1983 and has since been writing children’s books while continuing her love of art and illustration.

Sources:

• www.amazon.com
• www.dianestanley.com
• www.balkinbuddies.com

*** List of other folklore books great for kids! ***

http://librarybooklists.org/fiction/children/jclassics.htm#jmyth