Classic Fairy Tales illustrated by Scott Gustafson

Classic Fairy Tales illustrated by Scott Gustafson is a great first fairy tale collection for younger readers. For me, Gustafson is an inheritor to Jessie Willcox Smith, not as much in style although color palettes are often similar and there are some similarities, but in the sweet interpretations of the stories that almost no one could find objectionable. (Edited: Then I read the book description and found I am not the first to think this!) Apparently many people agree with me since this book has stayed in print for eight years now. I imagine this will be one of the books another generation of kids will be trying to identify in 20-30 years. "It had this big giant on the cover...and I really want to share it with my own children. I think the title was something like Fairy Tales or Classic Fairy Tales but there are 100s of books with that title." Hopefully I'll still be around to answer those questions, because I will know this one!

Product description:

This exquisitely illustrated, large format gift book features ten of the most enduring fairy tales of all time. The stories, chosen and edited by the artist, are a balance of 'princess' classics and frolicking adventure tales.

Artist Scott Gustafson spent more than four years creating the seventy-five rich oil paintings, reproduced here in full color. His style is reminiscent of N.C. Wyeth and Wyeth's gifted student Jessie Wilcox Smith (plus a touch of Arthur Rackham in the fairies). The rounded-face, glowing children and charming interiors contribute to Gustafson's unique and contemporary style, which will capture the hearts of even the most hard-boiled media-savvy child.

Many of these illustrations have been licensed for other products so they may look familiar. Here are seven with which you can play, guess that fairy tale. (It's not very hard with this set.)