James Marshall's Favorite Fairy Tales: Vol. II

PreS-Gr 2—Two rereleased fairy tales are delightfully told with simple language and humorous animation, based on James Marshall's iconic cartoon-style illustrations. In Cinderella, when the reprehensible, buck-toothed stepsisters laugh, viewers feel the heroine's pain and rejoice when she triumphs in the end. The most effective moment is the hilarious transformation of mice into horses, pumpkin into carriage, and lizards into footmen. Narrating Hansel and Gretel, Kathy Bates uses completely different voices for each character, and Ernest Troost's musical score is haunting. When the frightened children are in the woods, the sounds of woodpecker and wolves set the chilling scene, while a pure flute obbligato represents the snow white bird. This is a welcome addition to the school market; contrasting fairy-tale elements are a staple of the curriculum. The accompanying learning guides provide excellent discussion points and guiding questions for pre- and post-viewing activities in a classroom setting. Viewers also get a glimpse of the late author/illustrator Marshall recounting his experiences making the books. As a favorite son of Texas, he placed references from the state in every title and relates, "I don't sketch what I see; I sketch whatever pops in my mind."