Classic fairy tales have an innumerable number of versions that can attract nearly every reader, whether they’re looking for a simple picture book to begin reading, or are looking for a story to captivate them. Some argue that some versions go too far to the point that the life lessons that are at the center of these fairy tales are lost. For Scott Gustafson’s Classic Fairy Tales, this is a major criticism. 

The book is composed of ten fairy tales: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Tom Thumb, Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince, Rumplestiltskin, Cinderella, and the Three Little Pigs. All ten stories are famous, easily recognizable ones, but what makes this book stand out from the rest doesn’t lie in the words or the story. Every page is adorned with detailed illustrations that are undeniably beautiful, and they make each story just a little more magical. 

The story and the wording are where readers begin to disagree. The oversized book can be enjoyed by, as Gustafson claims, children of all ages, but the wording used and the length of the 141 page book makes it just slightly long for a toddler’s bedtime story. None of the sentences are as elaborate and flowery as Gustafson’s illustrations, but the stories are a little dragged out at times and the stories come to a close that is more entertaining than something to learn from. 

However, entertaining stories have their own merit and Classic Fairy Tales is evidence of it. With illustrations that can make the magic in Tom Thumb seem real or the fear of the Three Little Pigs much clearer, readers not looking for something of educational value can empathize with the characters illustrated, build their reading comprehension, or simply appreciate a sense of magical simplicity that fairy tales bring.