Rumpelstiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky
"'I will give you three days,' he said.
Bibliography:
Zelinsky, Paul O. 1986. Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN: 0140558640
Plot Summary:Rumpelstiltskin is an award-winning retelling of the original story by the Brothers Grimm. In this picture book adaptation, a poor miller deceives the king by convincing him that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king, obsessed with gold, arranges to have the miller's daughter brought to the castle. When the girl arrives, the king brings her to a room filled with straw and tells her that she must spin all of it into gold by morning, or death. The frightened girl begins to cry as she has never spun straw into gold and doesn't know what to do. As she grieves, a little man enters the room and tells her that he can help for a small price. The girl exchanges her necklace, and the little man spins the straw into gold. The king, impressed with the results, demands more gold each night with the promise to marry the miller's daughter if she succeeds. The girl continues to trade a prized possession for the little man's service, including her firstborn child. Soon after, the king marries the miller's daughter, and upon her first year of queendom, she has a baby boy; but forgets the promises made to the little man. The little man shows up to claim his prize. The queen begs him to take anything other than her child, and her grief, once again, moves the little man into making a bargain. The little man wagers that if she can guess his name in three days, she can keep the baby. The first two days go by with no success in guessing the little man's name. At last, the queen sends her closest maid to search for the little man. The maid discovers that the little man's name is Rumpelstiltskin, which she promptly reports to the queen. That evening, the third night, the little man appears to the queen delighted that he will soon take her child. The queen fools him into believing that she doesn't know his name at first but finally asks him if his name is Rumpelstiltskin, never to see him again, and keeping her child safely at her side.
Rumpelstiltskin, retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, is a beautiful adaptation of the traditional literary story from the 1800s. The oil painting illustrations are exquisite. Each page complements the essence of the story through vivid textures and realistic details. The medieval setting comes alive through beautiful contrasting shades and colors, creating a believable kingdom.
The author's style is true to the original fairytale and captures traditional elements such as repetition. The literary elements are climatic in developing the plot. For example, the repetition of the three nights, which call for more and more conflict, advance the story's climax. Zelinsky interweavingly combines magical motifs with fairytale elements to solve the plot and conclude with a happy ending.
The retelling notably captures the cultural aesthetic of The Middle Ages within a kingdom. However, the illustrations lack diversity and could have included more ethnicity. Though, the queen and Rumpelstiltskin are dynamic and distinct characters symbolizing morally right and unreliable archetypes. Overall, the story's theme is universal amongst fairytales sharing strong morals and triumph of good over evil. All readers will recognize the familiarity of the story from the Grimms' fairytale and enjoy beautiful illustrations that perfectly depict the Renaissance Age.
Review Excerpts:
Awards & Recognitions:- 1987 Caldecott Honor
- ALA Notable Book
- Bratislava Biennale Selection
- New York Public Library's 100 Great Children's Books: 100 Years
- Parents' Choice Award
- Redbook Award
- SLJ Best Book
- Society of Illustrators and AIGA Certificates of Merit
- White Raven Book selection of the International Youth Library
From The Horn Book, "Truly a tour de force."
From The New York Times, "Children...love the story for its mystery, and its familiarity. Adults will find that, like most classic fairy tales, this one rewards periodic rethinking.
From School Library Journal, "Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light."
- Read aloud the traditional story of Rumpelstiltskin by The Brothers Grimm here: Grimms' Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm. Discuss with the children in the audience the differences between the retelling and classic tale. What does everyone think of Rumpelstiltskin? How did they feel about the queen's situation?
- Activity: Teach patrons or students how to research the origins of their names, such as genealogy history and surname searches. Have them discuss what they find and what they learned from the lesson.
- Activity: Help patrons or students recreate their own retelling of Rumpelstiltskin in whatever medium they prefer, like writing or artwork. Encourage the children to develop new names, different endings, and activities such as a puppet show, poem, or painting. Allow everyone to share their stories aloud or with companions.
Explore more Rumpelstiltskin retellings:
- Little Golden Book. Rumpelstiltskin. Illustrated by William J. Dugan. ISBN: 9780307030047
- Tales, Tiger. Rumpelstiltskin (My First Fairy Tales). Illustrated by Loretta Schauer. ISBN: 9781848957091
- Shurtliff, Liesl. Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin. ISBN: 9780307977939
- Velde, Vivian Vande. The Rumpelstiltskin Problem. ISBN: 9780439305297
Read more books written or illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky:
- Cleary, Beverly. Ralph S. Mouse. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. ISBN: 9780380709571
- Isaacs, Anne. Swamp Angel. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. ISBN: 9780525452713
- Lesser, Rika. Hansel and Gretel. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. ISBN: 9780399217258
- Zelinsky, Paul O. Rapunzel. ISBN: 9780329029241
Extra Content: To Kick Those Boredom Blues
Rumpelstiltskin storytime!
Check out this Reading Rainbow segment on how to spin thread:
Enjoy a short cartoon retelling of Rumpelstiltskin: