The Goose Girl: A Story from the Brothers Grimm

This Brothers Grimm story of a good-hearted princess usurped by her maid and turned into a common goose girl is classic fairy tale fodder, and Kimmel revels in the magical, wistful aspects of this fanciful genre. Kimmel's princess is sweet and demure, like most fairy tale princesses are. (So much so that she puts up with her maid's abuses for fear of being rude, even after she's forced to fetch her own drink of water and-horrors!-soil her beautiful dress.) In this world a dead horse waxes poetic, the evil maid is cruelly punished and the princess sits in the foreground of a pastoral setting while her hair sparkles ``in the sunlight like threads of pure gold.'' Sauber's (I-Know-Not-What, I-Know-Not-Where) earthy colors and loose brush strokes combine for a painterly look that effectively portrays the romance of this fantasy land; each piece of artwork is framed with a decorative border. With its castles and steeds, noblesse oblige and happy ending, this is a good choice for those looking for old-fashioned make-believe. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)