The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs

by Jacob Grimm

Book Overview

In this classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale that follows the tradition of "Hansel and Gretel" and "Snow White," a young peasant boy is predestined to greatness--once he overcomes an outlandish decree... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1933317507
• ISBN13: 9781933317502
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Silverleaf Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 9.3" x 10.8"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

a must have!

The illustrations are amazing and Sherry Meidell has a distinctive style. It's a fun story too!

Excellent

I am a great fan of Sherry Meidell and her artwork. I enjoy collecting children storybooks. This is such a fun book and I love the illustrations! I highly recommend this as a great addition to any library or personal collection.

Have a Devil of a Good Time Reading This Retelling!

You know, I'm familiar with the story of The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs, but I don't think I've ever read the original...I believe I saw a cartoon version of it some several dozen years ago, so I'm familiar with the basics of the story, but can't really make a comparison with the original version and this one...so I'll just review this one on it's own as a story worth reading and/or telling to children. That said, The Devil with Three Golden Hairs is a fine story book with lavish illustrations done in a style that isn't my favorite, but is evocative of days gone by and quite effective for the story. Additionally, the illustrations are FULL of all kinds of extra detail (creepy crawly things in the dark forest) for kids to pour over and giggle about while reading or after the story has been read...it's a visual feast. As for the story itself, it's quite well done. The king is selfish and greedy and upon hearing that a child has been born and it has been prophesized that he will marry the kings daughter...he can't abide the idea of his precious daughter marring a peasant, so he charms the child away from the parents with gold and promises to raise him in the palace. No sooner is he away from them then he tosses the child in a box into the river without further thought or worry. The boy is, naturally, found by a couple who desperately wanted children but never had any and they raise him as their own....we have several layers of the king tries to kill the boy unsuccessfully, which will make children cheer. Finally, fed up at the boy having been unwittingly married off to his daughter, chargers him with getting three of the devil's golden hairs, thinking that surely the devil will dispose of the boy for him...but we all know that's not what happens. I love the ending where the king, in his greed is actually tricked by the young man (who is never given a name) into returning to the ferry, where he becomes trapped, rowing back and forth on the river from sun rise to moon rise. A fitting end. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed this story. My kids loved the devil's grandmother and all the furniture made of bones and enjoyed hearing how to solve the riddles of the well, the golden apple tree and the ferry man. By the end they were giggling madly at the fate of the king. It's a fine version, well suited for young children. There is, what in this day and age might be termed, "attempted violence" many times in the story...but no one ever actually gets hurt and in the end, the king isn't killed, he's given his just deserts winding up a poor ferryman, rowing across the river day in and day out. The overall message that good perseveres is there, but not in an over the top, in your face kind of way. The text combined with the illustrations make The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs an entertaining retelling of this Grimm's Folktale. I `d recommend it without hesitation for beginner readers, the text is long enough to provide some challenge to