Hansel and Gretel

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We have also been thinking about voicing our ideas through a debate. We have split into Team Hansel and Team Gretel to debate and decide which character can be regarded as the ultimate hero of the story. We evaluate arguments for and against each character using evidence from the text. Children then presented their debate and made their own decision. The oppressive regime that Charles wishes to escape is his overbearing mother. The hope of such an escape for Charles (even for a short while) comes in the form of Smudge. She has the freedom and joie de vivre that Charles wants, and Browne shows us this in the magical images with which he surrounds her. They appear without reason and explanation to signal the new and exciting possibilities to come. A streetlight becomes a snowdrop breaking through the harsh concrete pavement; juicy oranges, apples and pears replace the leafless trees; and the tops of the lampposts shift from sinister hats to cherry-topped fairy cakes. The pink fripperies spilling out of the dresser drawers suggest several things about this step-mother: Juliet Blake has the rights to turn this version of Hansel and Gretel into a film. (See Juliet Blake at IMDb, in which we learn the film stars Josh Hutcherson and Elle Fanning.) from Hansel & Gretel, Susan Jeffers- illustrator, pub. 1980 Anastasia Arkhipova – Hansel and Gretel COMPARE WITH For A Similar Art Style

And then we got home. Dad was mending a plug when suddenly he fell, seemingly in slow motion, and started writhing around making these terrible noises. It went on and on: we didn't know what to do . . . and then he was just lying there: this great, god-like figure on the floor, amid this scene of total devastation. I'd thought he was invincible. And I'd just started to rebel against him; we'd only just begun to argue ..." I did enjoy this story and found it evoked some very strong emotions. It is certainly worth reading to Key stage one or two children and would be a very good stimulus for a PSHE lessons on keeping safe, responsibilities and wellbeing. It would also provide plenty of opportunities for a philosophy for children lesson. The opponent was originally a mother, not a stepmother. The Grimm brothers obviously thought that having your blood mother turn on you was too scary. They did retain the shortened form of ‘mother’ in some passages though. Maria Tatar argues that although mothers did eat their children, it was generally only due to mental derangement caused by her own starvation. In medical/legal documents it was always a baby who was eaten rather than an older child. Tony Bradman, "Through the magic mirror: the work of Anthony Browne", British Book News, 1984 Autumn [Children's Books], pp.2–5.Let’s face it: The tale itself is basically terrifying. Anthony Browne, with his postmodern approach to its retelling, does not shy away from the terror. Later, Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Matotti created an even darker version. He was a highly commended runner-up [a] for an edition of Alice in Wonderland (1988), [11] he won the 1992 Medal for Zoo [12] and he was again highly commended for Willy's Pictures (2000). [11]

This story has been ‘retold’ by Jane Ray. What does this mean? Can you find other stories that have been retold? Use the speech within the text to create a play script. Could you perform this with some friends or use puppets?

On 9 June 2009 he was appointed the sixth Children's Laureate (2009–2011), selected by a panel that former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion chaired. [5]

When he finished school Browne intended to become a painter, but being short of money he took a job as a medical illustrator, producing detailed paintings of operations for Manchester Royal Infirmary. After three years he grew tired of the job's repetitiveness and moved on to design greeting cards for Gordon Fraser. He designed cards for five years before he started writing and illustrating his own books.

Anthony Brown touchingly retells the story of a brother (Hansel) and sister (Gretel) whose penniless parents decide to abandon their children deep in the woods. Hungry and desperate the two children stumble upon a house made out of sweet treats and fall victim to a witch who entraps and eats children. Eventually the children are able to escape, steal the witch’s riches and return home to their remorseful father who tells them of their mother’s death and they all live happily ever after. That women who are over-the-top feminine — look at all the feminine accoutrements, signified by the colour pink — are over-the-top vain. The mirror adds to the impression of vanity, and we will subconsciously conjure up Snow White and the magic mirror in that tale. I slowly became aware that people kept asking: 'Why d'you give dads such a hard time?'" he says. "At first I was defensive, thinking, no, I don't - but of course they were right. And then I started to wonder whether it was to do with my not forgiving my dad for going away when he did." Anthony Browne: Children's Laureate 2009–11". Children's Laureate (childrenslaureate.org.uk). Booktrust. Retrieved 28 September 2013. Nodelman then mentions the art of Tim Burton, which has been replicated by subsequent animators in films such as Paranorman.