When the original version of this book was published in 1985, Publishers Weekly called it "a treasure for all ages," and The New York Times declared, "Fairy-tale aficionados will be mesmerized." For this hardcover reissue, Susan Jeffers retouched her pen-and- ink and dye illustrations, making them even richer. Her brilliant artwork is showcased in a new interior design featuring a fifth-color gold border. Embossed gold foil type on the jacket of this large-format picture book trumpets the arrival of the girl who went from rags to riches.

    The editors offer a broad selection of tales, grouped by theme and era, as well as variants of individual tales that invite cross-cultural and comparative analysis. Each group is preceded by an introduction by the editors. Selections from influenctial works of criticism range from a segment of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic essay "On Fairy Stories" to recent work by Jack Zipes and Maria Tatar; also included is a section on the illustration of fairy tales and a bibliogrpahy.