The Golden Book of Fairy Tales

Is this beauty or what? Funny thing about 'The Golden Book of Fairy Tales'. I had come across it online years ago, when my kiddo was a baby, and I thought 'someday, my sweet, you will be mine'. For some reason I didn't immediately go ahead and buy it, which is strange, since I collect fairy tale books. I was much more focused on trying to get my baby to sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time, go figure.

And then I plumb forgot all about it. Until I came across it again in a used book store, and they had a copy in perfect condition. I had never actually seen it in person. I began gasping, which is what I do when I see a truly special and amazing book. I'm a gasper. Ask my family, they'll confirm. Wouldn't you gasp at this as well? Another cool thing ~ many of the 'Golden Books' are out of print and only available used. This one you can get BRAND NEW.

Look:

(this one is from 'Cinderella')

A few things. 

If you like fairy tales at all, this is one you have to have. I'm not going to shout "Must own!" about every book, there are many delightful books out there that you can borrow from the library or a friend. But certain books just deserve to be part of a permanent collection.

I seriously had a mini panic attack in the store when I saw it. I realized that my kiddo was now at the perfectly right age, and I had almost forgotten about this magical book. What would have happened if I had forgotten it altogether? And she got too old for it? What then?

I would have kicked myself forever, and I'm not joking. Happily, the book knew I needed it to be in my life. I do believe that. I believe certain books come into your life in a magical kind of way, when you need them to.

 (the collection contains 'Urashima and the Turtle', one of my favorite Japanese fairy tales!)

Actually, one of the nice things about this book is the longevity potential. The reason I passed on it when my daughter was little was because I knew it was full of text-heavy, full-length fairy tales that are really best suited for ages 6-10. Also, these tales aren't watered down, candy-coated tales...they are real fairy tales that have some darker elements that one also finds in classic Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson stories.

(In one story, a girl gets her feet, um, removed, by a giant and then an enchanted cat reattaches the feet with magical healing herbs. And then the enchanted cat turns out to really be a princess and when she's returned to human form, she and the girl become BFF's. You know, that sort of thing.)

The other thing I love about this collection, is that it's not the same old fairy tales that one typically sees over and over again in fairy tale collections. It has some really unusual and different stories, ones I've never heard of, and I pride myself on having heard or read about most ALL of them.

Some of the stories include titles like 'Cowlick Ricky', 'The Royal Ram', 'Finn the Keen Falcon', 'Queen Cat' and 'Silvershod', as well as old favorites such as 'Beauty and the Beast', 'The Frog Princess' and 'Puss in Boots', to name a few.

Oh this book! I just hyperventilate at the thought of it. Another one I raved about similarly was the 'Golden Book of Fairies and Elves'. I think I might like the stories in the fairy tale book even better.

Looking for more fairy tale action? The little missy and I also greatly enjoyed this one.