Sleeping Beauty: The Ultimate Collection Paperback – March 21, 2014

I have loved fairy tales since I was a child and Sleeping Beauty has long been my favorite. The book is a collection of variations of the story of Sleeping Beauty and does not disappoint. I read the book in one sitting and was delighted by not only the complexity and differences in the stories but the illustrations as well.My only experience with the "Sleeping Beauty" story came from reading the Grimm Brother's version but, I was amazed to learn there were six other versions by different authors including one by Alfred Lord Tennyson and another by the brother's Grimm titled, "The Glass Coffin." As an added bonus I was delighted to find that the book also includes links to an audio recording of the story that can be downloaded as an Mp3.If you are lover of fairy tales or have a child who loves them and wish to own a comprehensive collection of Sleeping Beauty stories then do not pass up this book. Highly recommended.

It is always enjoyable to read the original story . They are not always the Disney versions we are used to.My 5 and 7 year old grandaughters got bored quickly with me reading it to them. Too many words and not enough pictures for them. But for older kids who love to read and for adults who enjoy original fairy tales; it is a winner.

This collection has beautiful versions of Sleeping Beauty. The first, which is the longest, is a well-crafted version by Charles Seddon Evans. It’s told in accessible language and spins a complete world of royalty, betrayal, kindness, and redemption. The mean thirteenth fairy seems completely believable in this world of magic and intrigue. Naturally she must be defeated in the end, but she’s very successful in the meantime.There’s even a poetry version by Alfred Lord Tennyson, which gives a different feel and weight to the story. What I imagine would be the original Grimm Brother version is also included along with a similar Grimm Brother creation. The accompanying illustrations are quite beautiful themselves. I imagine that many young girls would be delighted with this collection.

I received this book as a gift and I must admit, my own memories of Sleeping Beauty go back to the Disney version. But, ask a child if they would prefer to watch a movie or listen to a story that is read to them. They will almost always prefer to have an adult read to them. They instinctively know what we may have forgotten. There is a bond and a human connection when we read to them. You may notice that when a child watches a movie, after a while they become restless and lose interest. Not so when you read to them. Why? Children are born with wonderful and vivid imaginations. As you read to them, they form images in their minds. I think this is what holds their interest. They even remember those images that were created while you read to them, sometimes for many, many years. There is no lasting memory of the time they watched a movie but there is a lasting memory of the time Uncle Frank read them a story.Here is the ultimate collection of the timeless children's fairy tale that children will love to have read to them. Instead of reading the same story over and over, you can read the different versions found in this classic collection. See which version is their favorite. See which version is your favorite. There are also wonderful pictures in this collection that will help to stimulate their colorful imaginations. Sleeping Beauty: The Ultimate Collection is a "must have" for anyone with children. Try reading it to yourself, just before bedtime. It will be much more relaxing than watching the news on television. Highly recommended.

We all love fairy tales and it's unfortunate that the only ones we have are the ones that we grew up with. Well, this author has revamped these wonderful stories and made them new, exciting, and entertaining. It's great to see the many different versions of this story. You'll have a renewed love of this fairy tale in general. You won't want to put it down. If you have children they will love it as well. I think this a great book to give girls who like this story, and I can say that they will develop a broader perspective of this story. Everything about this collection is going to take you into the world of Sleeping Beauty on so many levels. I think that this is a great collection and I don't think that there will be any disappointment should you decide to get it.

This is the fourth of the fairy tale collections I've had the pleasure of reading, and this one is my favorite. Perhaps I'm biased, because Sleeping Beauty has always been my favorite fairy tale, but I think it's more than that. These different variations of Sleeping Beauty are as lovely as they are unique. The Charles Perrault version has always been a favorite, and of course the Grimm stories, The Glass Coffin and Little Briar Rose, are deliciously dark. The Irish take on the tale is even more fantastical. And finally, while I was familiar with Tenyson's poems, I never connected this one to the lore until now. As I said with the others, this is a perfect collection for both lovers of fairytales, and researchers alike.

I love fairy tales and more than anything else I love art and when they are combined into one book the way they have been in this one . . . well, KAPOW!! These different versions of the one tale have been brought together with a great deal of care and professionalism and the added bonus of an audio version is the icing on the cake. I wasn't sure what to expect when I agreed to review this book but let's just say I was pleasantly surprised. Recommended for the young at heart and those that WISH they were :)

My daughter read this since it got selected for a book club... the kids enjoyed the different versions of Sleeping Beauty and after reading the book they went to see Maleficent with Angelina Jolie... it was a great combination of book/movie.