Starred Review Acclaimed author, artist, and illustrator Shaun Tan is no stranger to things wondrous and strange, so it seems only natural that his latest book taps the world of Grimms' Fairy Tales for inspiration. Seventy-five are included here, ranging from well-known favorites to the downright obscure. Rather than straightforward retellings, Tan has carefully selected one pivotal moment that captures the essence of each story: a young woman agrees to marry a bear-man in repayment for his kindness; a blacksmith captures the devil in a sack; a queen holds the key to a room containing coffins for her 12 sons; and so on. Accompanying each tale is a full-page color photograph of an original mixed-media sculpture. Miniature in size, these, too, are whittled to their most essential elements st figures are little more than mere suggestion, but others are exaggerated to the point of grotesque. The creep factor of the sculptures, shrouded in shadows and dimly lit, is heightened considerably through a masterful balance of the foreign and familiar, of nefarious action and trademark whimsy. A brief history of the Brothers Grimm by scholar Jack Zipes and an annotated index provide a broader context for the collection. A foreword by Neil Gaiman only heightens appeal. A stunning, eerie addition to fairy tale and folklore collections.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Tan is renowned for his odd, striking illustrations. Expect his fans to line up for this collection of his sculptural work.

Gr 5 Up-Tan's latest holds a complete art exhibit within its pages of photographs and excerpts from Grimms' folktales and fairy tales. Tan has thoughtfully paired 75 of his original sculptures with paragraphs from the Brothers' familiar and obscure selections. Inspired by Inuit stone carvings and pre-Columbian clay figures, Tan's sculptures exude a fresh, naive style. When combined with the texts, the seemingly simple sculptural forms become as complex as the tales they represent. With a foreword by Neil Gaiman and commentary by folklore scholar Jack Zipes, this volume is a first of its kind contribution to the genre. Since each piece provides only a snippet of the accompanying story, the book follows up with summaries of the fairy tales and suggestions for further reading. Younger audiences may be frustrated by the vague texts chosen to illustrate the sculptures. In fact, the book's entire concept may be too esoteric for anyone preferring elaborate decoration and happily-ever-after endings. However, the images, rendered from air-dry clay, papier-mâché, paint, and found objects from nature, are, by turns, fanciful, gruesome, and thought provoking. The book is expertly minimalist, providing potential opportunities for discussion of story elements, art appreciation, and philosophy for a wide age range. VERDICT A unique addition to special and robust folktale and fairy-tale and/or art collections. Jane Miller, Nashville Public Library

Tan (Rules of Summer) fashions 75 haunting sculptures, each meant to capture the spirit of one of Grimms- fairy tales. A short excerpt from the tale that inspired the artwork appears on the left of each spread, accompanied by a photograph of its sculpture on the right. Tan acknowledges Inuit and pre-Colombian influences in an afterword, but each figure carries its own creaturely spark. For Rumpelstiltskin (-The door suddenly opened, and a little man entered-), Tan creates a scarlet imp with dancing limbs and a toothy grin. For the Brementown musicians, the heads of the four animals are stacked as on a totem pole, mouths agape as they sing and shriek. In a foreword, Neil Gaiman writes, -I want to hold these sculptures, to pick them up. I want to squeeze them in my hands,- capturing the book-s mix of charm and frustration. Although readers can

Fairytales in the age of Disney often bring to mind far-away kingdoms, princesses, and a "happily ever after" ending. Over the centuries, fairytales have become stories of romance, bravery and adventure, leaving readers feeling enchanted and hopeful. But there is also a dark side with tricksters, witches, moral dilemmas, and unhappy endings. In a new and unusual anthology by acclaimed artist, Tan, readers are reminded of how these famous tales originated and will imagine something entirely new when they read the words, "Once upon a timeà"The Singing Bones, a new collection of artwork from the New York Times Bestseller is paired with excerpts from the Brothers Grimm classic tales. With a foreword by Neil Gaiman, this compilation will make its audience look at these famous tales in a new light, and will evoke entirely different feelings. Original sculptures by Tan are paired with a tale. In viewing this, the reader can feel the darkness and strangeness of these stories, such as "All Fur" and Rumpelstiltskin." With historical context provided by Jack Zipes, the reader is introduced to the political and social climate of the era in which these tales were originally gathered. The Singing Bones will appeal to fans of history and art, as well as lovers of fantasy and fairytales. Reluctant readers and skimmers will like the short excerpts. Unlike any other, this is not your average fairytale book.Kimberly Barbour.Taniguchi, Jiro. Guardians of the Louvre. NBM Publishing, 2016. 136p. $24.99.

In a book-lover's book with riveting art and tantalizing story-bites, each of seventy-five double-page spreads includes, on the verso, a quote from one of the Grimms' tales, translated by Zipes; and, on the recto, a full-page photograph by Tan of a sculpture he has created to power-drive the story. An afterword on Tan's medium and process completes this thoughtful compendium. Reading list.