SNOW WHITE

by the Brothers Grimm ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 21, 1974

Horn Book editor Paul Heins' translation is so close to Jarrell's (KR, 1973) and other standard translations -- except that synonyms are used throughout as if in deliberate avoidance of repetition -- that one wonders why this project was undertaken, especially as the small changes that are made are in the direction of artificiality: i.e., whereas Jarrell's queen ""could not bear that anyond should be more beautiful than she,"" Heins' ""could not endure to be surpassed in beauty."" Disappointingly, the response of the queen's mirror doesn't rhyme, and, more seriously, the devastating last line, ""they had already put iron slippers over a fire of coals and they brought them in with tongs and set them before her. . ."" is put into the passive voice: ""But iron slippers had already been placed on a coal fire and were brought in with tongs. . . ."" Heins' choice (if it was his) of an illustrator is even harder to understand. Trina Schart Hyman's general treatment is reminiscent of Burkert's for the Jarrell version, but the effect, as might have been guessed, is infinitely less resonant. Where Burkert blended romantic loveliness, hints of strangeness, compelling detail and (in the dwarfs' cottage) rustic horniness, Hyman combines her familiar sinuous trees, vines and tresses with gnarled carved wooden heads and creatures -- all gratuitous. Snow White is a Disney paper doll, the queen a posturing villain, and the off-register printing a further disservice.

Pub Date: Nov. 21, 1974

ISBN: 0735822573

Page Count: -

Publisher: Atlantic/Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1974

Categories: CHILDREN'S