(4) 4-6 Translated by David Henry Wilson. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. With notes and afterword by Mathias Jeschke. Janisch's retellings of thirty-two well-chosen stories from the Bible (twelve Old Testament, twenty New Testament) offer readers an overview of its contents. However, modernizing the narratives (presented in an unattractive paragraph layout) and the characters in Zwerger's painterly illustrations diminishes the timelessness of the tales. Jeschke contributes helpful notes in-between stories and an afterword that offers further illumination.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(2) K-3 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. This collection of eleven stories about fourteenth-century German trickster Till Eulenspiegel is as fresh as ever; its reissue is especially welcome given the dearth of collected folklore currently published for children. The wandering peasant clown outwits thieves, kings, and scholars: he's an equal-opportunity mischief-maker. The language is brisk and concise; accompanying illustrations capture each story's essence in a rich, bright palette.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1991; November, 2016

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. In the original large-size edition, Zwerger invoked a surreal dreamland devoid of background and details, but with an ambiance so intensely realized it inspired readers' own imaginations. The impact of the exquisitely composed paintings (especially the full-page ones), however, is lost in this mini-edition.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000

(3) 4-6 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. A bad fairy enslaves young Jacob, then turns him into a hideous dwarf. He befriends a goose--who is really an enchanted girl--and they work together to free themselves. The lengthy text is crisp; Zwerger's spare artwork employs gentle lines and colors that often carry frightful, haunting undertones.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(2) K-3 Retold by Susanne Koppe. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Devotees of the ballet version may be surprised by the layers of fantasy and reality in this skillful distillation of the much longer original story. Zwerger's elegant full-page watercolors capture the tone of the story, and her uncluttered compositions focus on specific characters and objects, rewarding the careful observer with details that foreshadow and illuminate the multifaceted story.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(3) 4-6 Retold by Lisbeth Zwerger. Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Western literature's most famous love story is retold in conversational prose, with brief excerpts from the play incorporated and highlighted in red type. A master colorist, Zwerger's full-page jewel-toned watercolors are sparely drafted, allowing the reader's imagination to fill in details, even as spot art of dying roses foreshadow the conclusion. A final spread ponders an alternate ending for the couple.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. An American family moves into Canterville Chase, an English manor home previously owned by aristocracy, and inherits the resident ghost. The family comically counters the specter's every attempt to spook them; the nonplussed ghost sinks into a depression before finding eternal rest with the help of the kindhearted daughter. Zwerger's watercolors capture both the hilarity and pathos of the famous tale originally published in 1986 by Picture Book Studio.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Afterword by Erin Stead. An edition of Baum's classic fantasy first published in 1996 is reissued with a new afterword. The illustrations, many of them full-page paintings, showcase Zwerger's distinctive style in a way that fits the text. This is a successful re-imagining of a well-loved story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. In this classic short tale that serves as a gentle allegory, a giant bans the neighborhood children from sharing the simple pleasure of his garden. Only after the giant reaches out to comfort one small boy is he redeemed. Zwerger's delicate illustrations feature a muted palette and a plain, almost austere, portrait of the giant's world.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac | Horn Book Magazine Issue: August, 1984

(3) K-3 Retold by Renate Raecke. Translated by Anthea Bell. Collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. After the people of Hamelin refuse to pay the Pied Piper for ridding their town of rats, he takes his revenge by leading the town's children away. This eerie, faithful retelling includes exact details (the year 1284; 130 children), giving it a ring of authenticity. The sophisticated illustrations have a subdued, foreboding quality suitable for slightly older picture-book readers.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Retold by Jürg Amann. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Running away from arranged marriages, a prince and princess meet and fall in love--without realizing that they are actually betrothed to each other. This challenging German play was originally written in 1836; it's here retold for a contemporary audience. Zwerger's affecting paintings are appropriately surreal. The complex material will likely require adult introduction and support.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. An edition of Baum's classic fantasy first published in 1996 is reissued in a slightly altered format. The illustrations, many of them full-page paintings, showcase Zwerger's distinctive quirky style in a way that fits the text. Libraries with the earlier edition need not replace it, but this is a successful re-imagining of a well-loved story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 Translated by Rosemary Lanning. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Janisch's foreboding yet lyrical text is aptly matched by Zwerger's delicate muted illustrations. Eerie scenes of destruction are balanced by pictures of beautifully detailed insects and animals shown filing toward the Ark and, on some pages, as figures in a hand-lettered catalog. The evocative and bewitching interpretation effectively maintains the awe-filled and reverential tone of the Bible story.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1998

(2) K-3 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. With her delicate, instantly recognizable style, Zwerger is an acknowledged master at interpreting classic tales. Although she has broadened her palette in recent years, this early work, with its acknowledged debt to Arthur Rackham, is well worth seeking out.

Reviewer: Terri Schmitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1982

(2) K-3 Translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Illustrator Zwerger, with her delicate, instantly recognizable style, is an acknowledged master at interpreting classic tales. Although she has broadened her palette in recent years, this early work, with its acknowledged debt to Arthur Rackham, is well worth seeking out.

Reviewer: Terri Schmitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1980

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Zwerger invokes a surreal dreamland virtually devoid of background and details, but with an ambiance so intensely realized it inspires readers' own imaginations. The full-page paintings, especially, are exquisitely composed, with unexpected vantage points giving dynamic views of events. Like Carroll's story itself, these illustrations open doors to many levels of creative interpretation.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000

(4) K-3 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Dark, muted colors characterize Zwerger's paintings in this classic tale of four past-their-prime animals in pursuit of happiness. Somber portraits establish the animals' gloomy existences, and the pairing of the action-packed robber scenes with the static illustrations dilutes some of the story's excitement. The ominous ending leaves readers unconvinced that the "musicians" live happily ever after.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(2) K-3 Translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Crawford's translation of the Grimm fairy tale, smoothly paced and with natural-sounding dialogue, adheres closely to the original story--a cautionary tale if there ever was one. Zwerger's illustrations, watercolor washes in muted earth tones, are expressive, dramatic, and humorous by turns.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: April, 1983

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Zwerger illustrates O. Henry's classic Christmas story about sacrifice and love with evocative pictures that heavily feature grays, browns, and blues. The swirling typeface is difficult to read, but the book's unusual trim size and vertical orientation put Zwerger's paintings on full display.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. This translation of Andersen's tale is both true to the original and graceful. At first glance Zwerger's illustrations may seem understated, offering only slight suggestions instead of clear representations, but her painterly forms invite imagination on the part of readers. Printing key plot sentences in colored type seems gimmicky.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian