Review: Hansel and Gretel

Retold by Stephen King

Pictures by Maurice Sendak

New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2025. Picture Book.

Stephen King was asked to write a “new interpretation” of the story of Hansel and Gretel based on some illustrations that Maurice Sendak did for the Humperdinck opera of the story. This book is a combination of King’s new take on the classic tale, as well as Sendak’s illustrations from the opera. And boy, is this a good retelling! There is a lot of text, but with the darkness of the tale and a master of horror like Stephen King, that is no surprise. This is a story that will read well to older elementary school kids who enjoy rich sentences that convey the horror of this story in subtle ways. Also, the illustrations are classic Sendak pictures. There are lots of colors, detailed trees, and a stunning illustration of a witch on a broom pulling a basket of soon-to-be-eaten children behind her. Read this to any child who loves books of suspense mixed with a touch of horror.

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