The Uses Of Enchantment by Bruno Bettelheim and Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales

I've been reading this

 recently, which prompted me to get this

from the library. It wasn't available in the kids section, only the adult one. As you can see below there is the library version of a parental advisory sticker on the first page.

This edition is the complete tales, and its lovely - there are about thirty colour illustrations, like this one

And  loads of  black and white ones(all by Arthur Rackham).

However, the sheer amount of stories made me think that a "Best Of" edition might be a better idea. There is a reason Snow White and Rapunzel are still such popular stories and others are relatively unknown. So if I buy, and I probably will, it will be the nicest most beautifully illustration "Grimms' Greatest Hits" edition I can find. 

I will buy because firstly, it makes so much sense when Bettelheim explains what children learn from the undiluted Folk and Fairy Tales. Being oneself, using your head to figure things out, that in the world unpleasant things will happen at some time or other are all good things to know. And the earlier the better. 

Having said that, I read these stories to my eight year old, who loved them, but I just can't say if he would have been scared to hear them at five or six. My three year old could sit for about half of each one but their length was too much for him. I wouldn't hesitate to read them to him in a year though, if he cooperated. And secondly, I must admit there is a certain pleasure in reading about witches being burnt in ovens, wolves getting their stomachs cut open and so on. It just makes a nice change. And it was funny to see the horror and delight on my sons face when he looked at me to see if it was ok to read this. I think it definitely is.

a selection..

If you are looking for something to read on the beach or by the pool order The Liars Daughter now. Its just out in the cheaper type of paperback and, like all Laurie Grahams' books, its funny, interesting and completely brilliant. I can't photograph my copy because I lent it to my friend who liked it so much she passed it on to someone else.

In other news...this is what I've just finished.  Its huge, and a Booker winner, but don't let that put you off. After a little bit of effort initally, I couldn't put it down.

And Stretching is on my husbands side of the bed.This edition is the 30th Anniversary one (it now has "New Computer Stretches"!) and he swears by the exercises. I keep finding it all over the house, wherever he happens to land post run or cycle and can safely say it is read regularly. So, for all the Mamils out there (the means Middle Aged Men in Lycra) I think it would make a practical and welcome Fathers Day present.

And lastly, I just got this one

for my nephews 4th birthday. He has a dog and hens in the back garden, so it will be pretty familiar, but really its a book for all animal (particularly dog and cat)lovers.

My son was angling to keep it, but we have enough books for the moment. And I've a few hidden away for camping, which I'll post on soon.