Princess Sophie and the Six Swans, A Tale from the Brothers Grimm
Retold and Illustrated by Kim Jacobs
15 full spread illustrations in glowing color with Kim's interpretation of the Grimm's classic tale. Kim tells the story from the perspective of the heroine of the story, her failings, her doubts, her trials, her strengths and her triumphs, and lessons learned!
See the glowing review by Kirkus below!!!!
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Princess Sophie, the spirited young heroine of this adapted tale from the
Brothers Grimm, finds herself faced with an incredible challenge and
some lessons to learn. She had forgotten her departed mother's warning
to temper loyalty and strength with a compassionate heart. Antagonized
by Sophie's resentful words, her powerful new stepmother turns Sophie’s
six brothers into swans and sets her the task of saving them. Will
Sophie succeed in helping her brothers? Can she spin six shirts made
from the thorny thistle, while never speaking a word, even in her
defense? And what will happen when King Yoren captures Sophie and takes
her prisoner? Featuring stunning artwork by renowned illustrator Kim
Jacobs, her retelling of this classic Brothers Grimm fairytale also
contains an author's note with fascinating details on family heraldry
and mute swans.
“When her six brothers are turned into swans
by their wicked stepmother, Princess Sophie must endure physical and
emotional trials to save them in this warmly illustrated version of the
classic fairy tale. The seamless interplay of words and images makes the
picture-book format ideal for providing narrative clarity as well as
nuance to the central relationships that seem abstract in the original
story. Jacobs’ alterations allot Sophie far more agency than the passive
heroine of the Grimm’s version possesses, transforming the white
princess into a passionate and tenacious girl who is unafraid of hard
work and sacrifice in an effort to right a wrong. Her friendship with
her brothers is well-depicted, making her great sacrifice reflective of
her strong sense of character rather than familial obligation or
feminine duty. Jacobs—an illustrator writing for the first time—has a
masterful eye for colors and skillfully employs them to reflect the mood
of a scene and drive the narrative. The dreamlike quality of the
illustrations makes this version an ideal bedtime story; misty blues
symbolize Sophie’s loneliness and isolation as she sews her brothers’
shirts, while the delicate swirl of rainbow color renders the brothers’
transformations especially magical. A charming adaptation with a solid
moral and a heroine whom little girls and boys can look up to. (Picture
book/fairy tale. 4-8)”
—Kirkus Reviews
