Rapunzel

After studying at Marburg, Jacob became a clerk in the War Office at Kassel, and in 1808 librarian to Jerome Bonaparte, King of Westphalia. In 1841 he received Professorship at Berlin, and in 1854 began work on Deutsches Worterbuch with his brother.

Kindergarten-Grade 4–Humorous illustrations attempt to transform this rather serious fairy tale into a lighthearted romp that spares children its disturbing chill and darkness. Duntze's playful watercolors are filled with fantastical elements like oversize fruit, clothing made from cabbage leaves, and a bed atop a huge snail. The witch's countenance never gets scarier than that of a loving but stern grandparent. The illustrations also contain a mixture of details that span different time periods and cultures: for example, the husband wears golf shoes; the wife is seen leaning out the window, thus exposing her multiple petticoats; and the prince wears buckled shoes that evoke Puritan times. Multihued rugs and swirling curtains in the tower suggest the Middle East. The scene in which the prince finds Rapunzel and their children has subdued colors and an austerity that is almost biblical. Regrettably, there are no source or author notes. Stick with Paul O. Zelinsky's award-winning Rapunzel (Dutton, 1997), which uses dramatic images to express powerful emotions and depicts one specific era in rich detail.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma Library, CA
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