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This book review of The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Anne Carter and,of course, the Brothers Grimm, mostly concerns the simplicity of the retelling and the charm and technicality of the illustrations by Anne Dalton.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses is one of the most loved of all the oldest and best-known fairytales, an impressive accomplishment for the Brothers Grimm who first set it down over one hundred and seventy years ago.

The story concerns a king, who insists on locking his daughters into their bedchamber every night - for safe-keeping. Yet, every morning twelve dainty pairs of satin dancing slippers (all in different shiny pastel colors by the look of the illustrations) are all worn out! 'How could this happen?' wonders the royal court, and decides to challenge various princes to find out.

Well, certain princes try to solve the mystery one by one but they all fail...until peasant boy Michael comes along. In one of the best and most beautifully illustrated versions of the story ever produced, Anne Carter and Anne Dalton unravel the story in exquisite style.

In a book with pretty silky ballet shoes and ribbons sprinkled all around the cream cover, the tale unfolds with dreamy illustrations of pink billowing ball-gowns, shiny golden hair,breezy mountains and cloud-reflecting lakes. The pictures show spiral staircases, castles and cheeky pages carrying trays.

Poor Michael of course, follows the princesses as they disappear through a wall
'into a beautiful wood, where the trees were all of silver and shone like water in the cold moonlight.'

Drawn up on the other side of a glassy lake there were

'twelve little boats, each with a little lantern in the stern' and each with its own handsome prince as gondolier to navigate. Silver trays, crystal goblets and a star-lit lakeside picnic decorate an ending which presents a spell-binding trap for Michael. With true suspense, Anne Carter outlines the dilemma for poor Michael as he is offered a draught from a royal goblet. One of the princesses is distraught and begs him not to take the potion. Yet the author also keeps the story simple and direct, while keeping the magic moments of the language.

She also manages to shorten the fairytale without losing any of the meaning or charm, an achievement which ensures that the story will be challenging and yet manageable for children who have just become independent readers. This is a good retelling as the story can be read in one sitting, or read as a bedtime story which does not go on for ever!

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