Legends & Fairy Tales: The Rock Maiden and Princess Rosie's Rainbows [Review & Giveaway]

The Rock Maiden: A Chinese Tale of Love and Loyalty by Natasha Yim and illustrated by Pirkko Vainio

My thoughts:  The author has retold a Chinese legend giving it an ending and embellishments she likes. The story is sweet and tells of love, faithfulness, loss, and gain. The illustrations are lovely and evocative using beautiful soft coloration.

The perils of fishing in the open seas in a small junket as was done through the centuries is at the heart of this story as is the faithfulness of the young wife and mother whose husband does not return from the sea.

Please be aware that is story, as with many legends, involves the people praying to a goddess and that goddess interacting with their desires and changing the outcome of things.

The lovely tale is intended for children ages four and up and can be used as an opportunity for teaching a young child that some worship differently from the way they do.


About the book: When her fisherman husband fails to come home after a storm at sea, the beautiful maiden Ling Yee is heartbroken. Every morning, she puts her baby on her back and clambers to the top of a cliff looking for any signs of his return. But day after day, she is disappointed. The villagers try to convince her to give up her vigil. “No,” she would say, “He will come home soon.” Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Heavens, takes pity on her grief and turns Ling Yee and her child into stone so that they would mourn no more. The fisherman eventually finds his way home―only to discover that his wife has been transformed into the Rock Maiden. Will the family forever be kept apart? Or will devotion and faithfulness ultimately be rewarded? Find out in this re-envisioning of an old Hong Kong legend by award-winning author Natasha Yim, featuring stunning illustrations by renowned Finnish artist Pirkko Vainio.

Princess Rosie's Rainbows by Bette Killion and illustrated by Kim Jacobs

My thoughts:  The author has penned a "new" fairy tale that will capture the heart of little girls who dream of princesses. Little Rosie is  sweet child but she is sad and doesn't smile. She loves rainbows and they bring joy and laughter to her.

Desiring his little Rosie to have her heart's desire, the king offers a bag of gold to anyone who can bring Rosie a permanent rainbow. Of course, you know and I know that isn't possible but this is, after all, a fairy tale.

After many tries, a little old lady solves the problem but it is not as Rosie or her father envision.

The "take away" of this story is look inward to the joy and love in our own hearts for the happiness we seek.

The illustrations are simply lovely and just brimming over with richness as one should find in a lovely fairy tale.

About the book: What is it that makes you happy? For little Princess Rosie, it was rainbows. Being a Princess, she could have anything she wanted. Toys, games, books. But she didn't want any of those things. Possessions didn't matter to her. Only rainbows could make her smile. "I wish I could have a rainbow all the time," Princess Rosie often sighed. Her parents, the King and Queen, tried everything they could think of to give Princess Rosie a rainbow, but with no success. Would the young Princess ever be happy? Maybe Becca, the wise old woman from the farthest village, could hold the secret to making Rosie smile?

Princess Rosie's Rainbows is a stunningly illustrated new fairytale that offers young readers the precious lesson that true happiness doesn't come from outward possessions, but from deep within us.

GIVEAWAY

Begins February 10

Ends March 10 at 12:01 a.m. EST

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DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary copies of these two book from Wisdom Tales Publishing to facilitate a review. Opinions are my own and are freely given. Winner's prizes are provided by and shipped directly to the winner by the publisher.

The Snow Queen: A Tale in Seven Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, Illustrated by Sanna Annukka

ISBN:9780399578502
Hardcover $16.00 

My thoughts:  I was excited at the prospect of this new edition of Hans Christian Andersen's story, The Snow Queen. It has been years since I've read fairy tales and I had not ever read The Snow Queen. The  unusual illustrations lend a modern look to the old story. And the cloth bound, hard cover book is reminiscent of books from the past.

Though the story is short and should have been a quick read, I found I simply could not get that interested in it. It begins with a sinister mirror that is like a devil. It shatters and the slivers fall to the Earth impaling people with the evil of the mirror causing them to be like it.

This should not have surprised me because fairy tales of long ago have usually had a grimness to them and a bountiful amount of evil. Usually, evil is overcome by the good others do. So one probably should expect a dark side to exist in fairy tales.

The illustrations are Scandinavian and modern with a weirdness that is indicative of the story itself - as well it should be. Would the story be better illustrated with more realistic "people" roaming the cold countryside? That would be interesting to see but Sanna Annukka chose this style and it does suit. The cover is beautiful in the deep aqua-blue with silver accents.


About the book: Gorgeously packaged with intricate illustrations from Finnish illustrator, Sanna Annukka, this new edition of Hans Christian Andersen's well-loved fairy tale, The Snow Queen, is the perfect holiday gift for adults and children alike.

Hans Christian Andersen's magical tale of friendship and adventure is retold through the beautiful and intricate illustrations of Finnish illustrator Sanna Annukka. Cloth-bound in deep blue, with silver foil embellishments, The Snow Queen is elevated from a children's book to a unique work of art. It is an ideal gift for people of all ages.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the Blogging for Books reviewer's program to facilitate a review of my honest opinions which are freely given.