rumpelstiltskin retold & illustrated by paul o. zelinsky

Zelinsky, Paul O. Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Dutton Children's Books, 1986. ISBN: 0590056999

Plot Summary:
     Rumpelstiltskin is the story of a miller's daughter who is put in the dilemma of having to spin straw into gold. During a visit into town by the king, a miller who craves to impress the king, volunteers that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The miller's daughter is brought into the king's castle and given three chances to spin straw into gold or face the punishment of death. During each chance she is given, she is visited by a little man who bargains and trades his ability to spin straw into gold for three of her possessions. After the last bargain, the miller's daughter is faced with death by the king or to give the little man her first born child unless she can guess the little man's name; however, little does the miller's daughter know, the name of this little man is not a common name whatsoever.
 
Critical Analysis:
     Rumpelstiltskin is a traditional tale that incorporates the characteristics of a trickster tale. Rumpelstiltskin portrays the role as the trickster with his bargains, witty ways, and the proposed name guessing game. This traditional tale was retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky who encompassed the key attribute of what a folktale entails; deriving from the oral tradition. The story of Rumpelstiltskin is a folktale that has been dated back to the 18th century from where a plethora of retold versions have been composed.
     In this particular retold tale, Paul O. Zelinsky uses detailed watercolor illustrations to complement and bring life to the context of the tale. Through these illustrations, Zelinsky has provided readers with specific elements that suggest a medieval time period. The details of the clothing to the details of a the king's castle, within the kingdom, are some of the elements used to convey and to further depict the story of Rumpelstiltskin.
   
Awards Won:
Caldecott Honor Book Award (1998), Redbook Award (1986), Parents' Choice Award (1986 & 2003)

Review Excerpts:

"This new rendition of the Grimm classic comes up short when compared to Paul Zelinsky's Caldecott Honor version. The retelling, in an odd mix of formal and familiar tones, downplays the story's essential magic, mystery and suspense. Spirin's Once There Was a Tree ; The Fool and the Fish artistic interpretation is not quite up to his usual level of excellence here--many of the book's pages feature surprisingly bare scenes of characters standing about talking to one another. Even the climactic scene in which Rumpelstiltskin unwittingly reveals his name is related entirely through Sage's exposition rather than Spirin's art Zelinsky's interpretation of this same scene is an eerie, full-page masterpiece. Rumpelstiltskin himself, as portrayed here, is not a frightening or even odd creature; he is merely a very short, well-dressed man. Though Spirin's paintings of costumes and courtly splendor are, as always, elegant, Rumpelstiltskin is a tale that demands drama and flair." - Publisher's Weekly

"Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light." - School Library Journal

"In thiis enchanting tale, a king asks the daughter of a poor miller to spin straw into gold. Not knowing how to do this impossible task, the saddened girl loses hope until she receives a visit from a strange little man. This tiny imp decides to spin all of the king's straw into gold, but only under one condition--he gets the girl's first-born child when she marries the king and becomes queen. Agreeing to this proposition, the girl soon becomes queen and has a child one year later. When the little man shows up to collect the child, he offers another proposal to the queen. In this new agreement, he asks her to guess his name before the end of three days. Distraught over this predicament, the queen seeks the help of a faithful servant and together they outsmart the crafty Rumpelstiltskin. Zelinsky's exquisitely detailed illustrations perfectly capture the splendid beauty of the late medieval period, as well as the unique qualities of each character." - Children's Literature

"Children...love the story for its mystery, and its familiarity. Adults will find that, like most classic fairy tales, this one rewards periodic rethinking." - New York Times Review

Connections:
Customers who bought this book also purchased Hansel and Gretel and Rapunzel, which were also retold by Paul O. Zelinsky;.Little Red Riding Hood; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Interactivity:

• Pass out yellow yarn to children symbolizing golden straw. 
• Read the story without stating the title of the folktale so that when it comes time for the miller's daughter to guess the name of Rumpelstiltskin, children can guess his name.
• Play a segment of ABC's Once Upon a Time to show how Rumpelstiltskin is depicted.