Review of "Rapunzel," by Paul O. Zelinsky

Review of

Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky ISBN 0142301930

Five out of five stars

 This retelling of one of the best of the Grimm fairy tales is one of the best presentations. The artwork is superb and in exquisite detail. The images are oil paintings in the style of the Renaissance masters, giving the modern young reader a backdoor introduction to that memorable style.

 However, for me the most interesting aspects of the book is the note at the end where there is a brief history of the basic tale of “Rapunzel.” I learned that it is a tale whose origin can be traced to Naples and passed to Germany through France. While the expression changes as it moves from country to country and across several languages, the basic tale remains the same.