Book Review: Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman, Lorenzo Mattotti

Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman and artist Lorenzo Mattotti is a book that's at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.

Hansel and Gretel is a fairy tale retelling that captures the horror and hope of the Grimm version of this story. I love that Gaiman offers up some history of the story, and his personal history, of this tale. The black and white images from Mattotti are the perfect inspiration and pairing to the text. The inspire study, because there are details that a quick glance does not reveal. I think this book will appeal to fairy tale fans of all ages, and will be a fast favorite for many. 

Book Review: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day: 366 Elevating Utterances to Stretch Your Cranium and Tickle Your Humerus by Sue Macy

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day: 366 Elevating Utterances to Stretch Your Cranium and Tickle Your Humerus by Sue Macy was inspired by Merriam-Webster's popular Word of the Day digital feature.  This book builds knowledge one day at a time with 366 masterful words. Each Word features clear and helpful illustrations for readers and are introduced with a pronunciation guide, definition and interesting trivia about the world. Each month contains an introduction, one word per day individually or in thematic groups plus an end-of-the-month story that includes all of the words. It includes 12 Free Downloadable audio stories. The audio will be available as a download through the QR codes printed in the book, and also as a separate audio collection.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day is a charmingly illustrated collection of words to learn and use. I like that it is not year dependent, so it can be shared or revisited. I liked the trivia and information that was with the words, and they way that themes and monthly wrap ups are used to bring everything together. I think this collection will appeal to upper elementary school students through adults, to word nerds and smart alecks alike. I could see this being a great addition to family or classroom traditions since it can easily be both fun and educational. This would be perfect as part of a holiday gift for the right person.