Hansel & Gretel by the Brothers Grimm and Lisbeth Zwerger - review

Hansel & Gretel by the Brothers Grimm and Lisbeth Zwerger
I do love a faithful retelling. This Hansel & Gretel surely is that - there' s no sugar-coating in this book. The parents abandon the children in the forest, not once but twice. The witch tricks them into the house, then locks up Hansel to be fattened while she uses Gretel as a slave. And the witch gets shoved in the oven at the end.

Not for the faint of heart! The illustrations are marvelous. Pencil and watercolor, earth tones, fine lines, and soft washes. The language is tight and expressive, with an old-fashioned cadence and word choice that puts the scary story safely out of reach from everyday life.