Snow And Rose

 

Description:

A New York Times bestselling author-illustrator brings readers into the woods to meet two young sisters and a strange bit of magic in this reimagining of the classic but little-known fairy tale "Snow White and Rose Red." 

Snow and Rose didn't know they were in a fairy tale. People never do....

Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.

Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.

But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.

This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.

Bestselling author-illustrator Emily Winfield Martin has created a world that sits on the border of enchantment, with characters who are grounded in real emotions that readers will recognize in themselves.

My review:

This beautiful book of Snow & Rose is the reimagined chapter-book version of the lesser-known Grimm fairy tale, “Snow White and Rose Red.” This is one of the tales many children in Europe grow up with and that has been adapted to puppet theater plays and children’s movies overseas many a times. 

Once wealthy before their father disappeared, sisters Snow and Rose and their mother now live in a small cottage in the woods. All of them are grieving for their loss and cope with it in different ways. Their mother is working hard and away from home to make a meager living for the girls and they are left alone often. 

Rose sentimentally “holds on to a thing she loved as tightly as she could,” while Snow wants “to see or hear or taste something she loved over and over again, to remind herself that it was real.”

“Rose couldn't say to Snow, to insist to her, that sometimes you lose someone in a way that means he will never read to you, or say good night or swing his around you again.” 
― Emily Winfield Martin, Snow & Rose

One day as they are meandering off the path in the woods, they happen upon an underground house, a curious library filled with objects rather than books that is overseen by a Librarian.

“To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said, 'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader.” 
― Emily Winfield Martin, Snow & Rose

They also meet a boy named Ivo who grows mushrooms. He lives underground with his family and tells them about a menace of the woods who has caused many to disappear, as well as a giant bear who is pursued by a great huntsman. 

“Snow and Rose didn't know that they were living in a fairy tale--people never do.” 
― Emily Winfield Martin, Snow & Rose

As time goes on, the girls meet many creatures and animals in the woods. Kind and unkind. But they are really good girls and believe in all the good in the world. Unknowingly, they have already made contact with their future fate….if that will be good or bad, you will have to find out. 

I grew up with this tale and have fond memories of the movies. I just pulled out my Grimm fairy tales book and I want to compare the differences of the two. Right off I can tell, the retelling seems longer and the illustrations add a nice touch. 

The morale of the tale is an age old one recurring in countless tales. The reading level of this book is for 8-12 years old, and I would say it’s on the lower end of that by content / interest. It is a little slow at times but again, the illustrations are wonderful to look at and anything "grim" has been left out.