The BAREFOOT BOOK OF BROTHER AND SISTER TALES

Barefoot Books, 2000. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. New/As New. Emma Shaw-Smith. CONDITION: NEW 2000 Barefoot Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Delightful color illustrations by Emma Shaw-Smith. DJ shows very light edge wear. CONTENT: Hansel and Gretel (German); Quillwork Girl and Her Seven Star Brothers (Cheyenne); The Red Cow (Armenian); Alionushka and Ivanushka (Russian); The Girl Who Banished Seven Brothers (Moroccan); Ahol and Maper (Sudanese) and Trampling the Demons (Japanese). Wonderful selection of stories. The stories explore the sibling bond from a variety of perspectives, running the gamut from all-consuming jealousy to undying devotion. Hoffman is a competent reteller and maintains a lively pace. Shaw-Smith's illustrations, done in watercolor and mixed media, have a vibrant palette and are rich in detail. Part of the action is depicted on bottom borders, and there are rounded insets on almost every page, so there is much for the eye to explore. The whole effect gives readers the impression that they are being allowed a private peek into the long ago and faraway. Brief source notes are appended.