Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (book) facts for kids
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| Author | Wanda Gag |
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| Illustrator | Wanda Gag |
| ISBN | 0-571-06496-5 |
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a famous picture book from 1938. It was written and illustrated by Wanda Gág and published by Coward-McCann. This book was special because it was recognized as a Caldecott Medal Honor Book in 1939.
The story in this book is a new version of the classic fairy tale of Snow White by the Brothers Grimm. Since it was first published, the book has been printed again many times, including in 1999, 2004, and 2013.
Contents
How the Book Was Made
After the popular Walt Disney movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs came out in 1937, a writer named Anne Carroll Moore had an idea. She suggested that Wanda Gág should create her own version of the Snow White story.
Wanda Gág's goal was to make a book that was closer to the original Brothers Grimm tale. She translated the story directly from German. Then, she created all the beautiful drawings for the book herself.
What the Book Looks Like
The book is printed in black and white, which gives it a classic feel. The cover of the book shows a young girl with dark hair. She is looking out of a window in a small red house. This image helps readers imagine the world of Snow White before they even open the book.
The Story of Snow White
The story begins with a queen who loves being the most beautiful person in the land. She often asks her magic mirror, "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who's the fairest one of all?" The mirror always tells her she is the fairest.
Snow White's Escape
One day, the mirror gives a different answer. It says that the queen's stepdaughter, Snow White, is now the fairest. Snow White is only seven years old. The queen becomes very angry and jealous. She orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the woods. She tells him to kill Snow White and bring back proof.
In the woods, Snow White begs the huntsman not to hurt her. She promises to run away and never come back. The huntsman feels sorry for her and lets her go. He brings the heart of a wild boar back to the queen instead. Snow White runs far away until she finds a tiny wooden hut. Inside, she finds many small things, like seven little beds. She falls asleep on one of them.
Living with the Dwarfs
Later, Snow White wakes up to find seven dwarfs. They are surprised to see her. They agree to let her stay with them if she helps keep their house clean. Snow White is happy to have a safe place to live.
Meanwhile, the evil queen asks her magic mirror again, "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who's the fairest one of all?" The mirror replies that Snow White is still alive and living with the seven dwarfs. The queen is furious!
The Poisoned Apple
The queen decides to trick Snow White herself. She puts on old clothes and paints her face so no one will recognize her. She travels to the dwarfs' home and convinces Snow White to eat a shiny red apple. What Snow White doesn't know is that the apple is secretly poisoned. Even though the dwarfs had warned her to be careful, Snow White takes a bite.
Snow White falls down as if she has died. The dwarfs are heartbroken. They build a beautiful glass coffin for her. They place her inside, hoping she will wake up.
A Happy Ending
Many years pass. One day, a young prince is riding through the forest. He sees Snow White in her glass coffin. He is amazed by her beauty and begs the dwarfs to let him take her to his castle. After much convincing, they agree.
As the men carry the coffin, they accidentally bump it. A piece of the poisoned apple that was stuck in Snow White's throat comes out. She opens her eyes and wakes up! The prince is overjoyed and asks her to marry him.
The evil queen is punished for her terrible deeds. She is forced to dance until she collapses. Snow White, her prince, and the seven dwarfs live happily ever after.
