Hansel and Gretel

Midwest Book Review"Those with a special affinity for fairy tale retellings will quickly recognize that this Hansel and Gretel is more than a notch above the usual approach, remaining more connected to its original than most and yet offering something far more compelling. A reading of this novella along with other fairy tale reworks will quickly highlight Klaassen's unique strengths."—D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book ReviewKirkus Reviews"An embellishment of an age-old folk tale that adds intriguing elements while remaining faithful to most of the original story."—Kirkus ReviewsBook DescriptionA famine decimates a magical realm, and the family of ten-year-old Hansel and his little sister face starvation. Their parents decide that the best hope for all of them against almost certain death is to abandon the children deep in the forest, but Hansel leads Gretel home by following a trail of pebbles that glow in the moonlight. Still desperate, their parents prevent Hansel from finding more pebbles, and then they abandon the children even deeper into the forest, where they become thoroughly lost. Hansel and Gretel follow a white bird to a shack in the woods and fall captive to Petra, an evil witch, who fattens Hansel for slaughter. Hansel tricks Petra into thinking he isn't fattening, then pushes her into the oven—only to discover that they may not yet be out of danger.