As Mama Bear, I try to do my best to pick out a variety of picture books. I think it's very important for children to see themselves in the stories they read, but I think it's also just as important to see people who don't act and look like them.
Little Bear, being still a very little bear, just likes books that have bright pictures.
This edition of Rapunzel is perfect for both of us!
Written by Chloe Perkins and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan, this is part of the Once Upon A World series and I am completely in love.
The story remains the same classic we all know and love, but the illustrations send us to India, making this the perfect stepping stone for children who want "Rapunzel again, Rapunzel again!" but who's horizons you'd like to broaden.
The illustrations are absolutely wonderful, bold, vibrant, and stunning. Archana Sreenivasan, who does the art, is a freelance artist living in Bangalore. Getting someone who is actually from India to illustrate a classic fairy tale transported to India was such a good touch! She does an amazing job of blending the European tale with it's new location.
I particularly liked the way the prince looked at Rapunzel, so enraptured by what she had to say. It was also really nice how, instead of asking her to marry him, he asked her to come to the castle. It made their relationship seem like it went a bit slower, when most versions it seems like they've only just met! While it is stated that he was falling in love, the story seemed to focus more on the friendship that they built.
The way the witch was drawn was a nice touch too. She was clearly evil, but not scary.
Little Bear loves when I read this one, and spends the whole time trying to pull the pictures from the book. I was so impressed, and can't wait to read more in the series.
The Once Upon A World series contains five books in total; Mexican Cinderella, Japanese Snow White, Russian Princess and the Pea, and Caribbean Little Mermaid.
All are written by Chloe Perkins except for The Little Mermaid which is written by Hannah Eliot. Each illustrator hails from the country represented in the story.
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