I recently came across this adaptation of the classic fairy tale from the Brother Grimm, retold by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Kris Waldherr. Although by no means the equal of Paul Zelinksy's marvelous version, with its Caldecott Medal-winning illustrations, this Rapunzel has its own modest charm.

The tale of a young girl given over to the care of a witch in exchange for the savory herbs her mother craved while pregnant with her, and who is imprisoned in a high tower until rescued by a handsome prince, has many variants worldwide. The Grimm version is here quite accurately represented - the witch is called Mother Gothel, and the prince and Rapunzel wander in the wilderness for a time before finding one another again.

Waldherr's illustrations, created with colored pencils, watercolors and pastels, have a lovely, meditative quality. Overall, well worth a look for fairytale fans who, like me, like to examine many different illustrated versions of the same tale. ( )