The Girl Who Spun Gold

WARNING: SPOILERS TO FOLLOWQuashiba finds herself in a precarious situation. Due to a slight untruth told by her mother to a visiting king, the young lady is forced to marry to king with the promise that she can weave fine golden cloth.Though she is attended by handmaidens and receives her every want, her new husband demands that she come through with her mother?s promise after they are married one year and a day.The time arrives and the girl knows not what to do. A little man with a wooden leg, a tail and wearing striped trousers magically appears one evening. He offers to help her make the fabric but with a price for his assistance: she has three nights and three chances per night to guess his name; if she doesn?t, she will be his tiny companion?forever. After two days of successfully presenting the golden thread to her spouse, as well of two days of unsuccessfully guessing the little man?s name, the Quashiba feels impending doom. However, during dinner, her husband tells of his unusual encounter with a little man named "Lit'manhn Bittyun." Quashiba is relieved and that evening when the little man comes, she toys with him with two fake names, finally announcing his real name. The sprite storms off and is never seen again.Knowledgeable readers will automatically see the similarity between this tale and the European ?Rumplestiltskin?. The book's illustrations are vivid and thought-provoking, making this book a KO for the primary classroom, combining fantasy, familial relationships, and effective use of dialect/language.The late Hamilton has scored another winner that will embellish the home as well as the classroom.

In this West Indian version of Rumpelstiltskin, Queen Quashiba marries the rich and powerful Big King, but must produce three rooms full of gold cloth after a year and a day or be locked away forever and a year. How will she ever accomplish such a supernatural feat?The book is richly illustrated with vibrant colors and the words are pleasing to read silently or aloud. Both Virginia Hamiltion and the Dillons prove to be masters of their respective crafts and together produce a winning combination in their version of this classic tale. Crazy James

What a beautiful book! Beautiful language, beautiful pictures. Even my 3-year-old son, who usually just likes books about trucks, wanted me to read it over and over. I like it better than the German version (Rumplestilskin); Quashiba acts much more like a real person here.

Whatever Virginia Hamilton, Leo & Diane Dillon touch turn to gold! Hamilton's creative use of language and dialect give this retelling of the Rumplestiltskin story a sense of freshness and fun. The rich illustrations and the whimsical portrayal of the Lit'mahn character complement the text beautifully. As a read-aloud, the experience is delightful for both the reader and the audience.