A Handful of Beans

A delightfully told collection of six classic fairy tales, told in crackerjack prose and rhymes, and illustrated by the inimitable William Steig. The author keeps closely to the traditional versions of these tales, giving them a uniquely wry and playful flavor reminiscent of Edith Nesbit: In Rumplestiltskin, the queen inquires, "Is it Crumple or Blister, or Guggle or Nank? Williwaw, Flimflam, or Hiccup or Clank?" The witch tucks Hansel and Gretel into beds "with sheets as soft as a spider's web," and the Frog Prince concludes with, "And was the Princess kind to her Prince?/ Who knows? They have never been heard of since." This book is more text than picture, so it is best for older children, familiar with the stories, who can appreciate Steig's wonderful use of language. Whether read aloud or silently, it is a definite winner.