I was enchanted by this lovely fairy tale. Snow and Rose by Emily Winfield Martin is a retelling of the story of Snow White and Rose Red. (Which, apparently, isn’t at all the same story as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves).
The Story
Snow and Rose grow up in a beautiful house with loving parents, until her father mysteriously disappears. Kicked out of their house, Snow and Rose retreat with their mother to a cottage in the woods. The two girls, with very different personalities, deal with their grief in different ways. But both of them delight in exploring their mysterious new surroundings.
But these surroundings aren’t always safe. There are bandits in the woods and creatures who grow unnaturally large. And then the bear moves into their house! Snow and Rose may be different, but their love for each other, their friends, and the bear propel them toward the mystery plaguing the woods.
What I Love About Snow and Rose
- Love–Like most fairy tales, this one is about love. But instead of being about romantic love, like the original version, this tale is about the love between sisters, friends, and family.
- Lyrical–I was truly enchanted with the descriptions of the woods, magical places, and the two girls that inhabit them.
- Illustrations–You don’t often find a middle-grade writer who illustrates her own stories, but Martin does. Her paintings add to the enchantment of this story.
What Parents Should Know
- I can’t think of much to put here! Snow and Rose is a delightful read with only mild peril and hints of death. I’d recommend to most kid 8 and older. You may want to wait a bit longer for your very sensitive readers.
Emily Winfield Martin is also the author/illustrator of several delightful picture books. I’ve reviewed one of them HERE.
I’ve always loved that fairy tale! I’ll have to check out this retelling. We’re big fans of fairy tales retold at our house 🙂 .
Us too! Anne Ursu also has some great, looser retellings. 🙂
We just checked it out from the library this morning on your recommendation…. THANKS!
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I have not read this one- but have wanted to read it since I first saw the cover. I love fairy tales and retellings. This sounds delightful. I really enjoyed your review!
You’re welcome! Yes, the cover is gorgeous, isn’t it?