Historically (Closer To) Accurate Disney Princesses

A neat little diversion that popped up today: people making an effort to have some of the Disney Princesses more accurately reflect the time period Disney (seems to have) their version of the story in, with regard to their outfits.

Disney creates fictional worlds for their princesses to live in, drawing on historical and mythical inspiration to create beautiful fairy tales. We wondered what the princesses would’ve looked like if they’d existed in the real world, so we used context clues from the films to determine, as specifically as possible, the time and location of each Disney princess’s story.
*based on the Disney films, not the original source material.

Take a look at the video:

You can find the whole post over at Buzzfeed HERE, which outlines the "context clues" that helped the costume people decide which way to dress each character. The comments are particularly interesting below as well, "discussing" the various time periods, what culture did what etc It's worth a look.

A Thank You To "Tales Of Faerie"

A little note sent via bluebird direct to TOF earlier this evening after our enchanting visit

If you missed any of the stops on the special five year anniversary of Tale Of Faerie Tour, you can find them linked below in order, starting with Kristin's interview here (very) early this morning.




[1] Interview at OUABlog  - An Invitation to TOF

[2] The Parlor

[3] The Grounds

[4] The Library

[5] A Letter (link to be added when the TOF post goes live)

Happily Ever After Is Not All That It Seems... (A Handy Infographic)

Just sent to me today as part of a promotion for a book any fairy tale student (or regular reader) should have, is this great infographic, created by the Norton Critical Editions team. We see a lot of infographics floating around these days but one of the best things about this one is I know the team will have done their research properly to create it, so you can trust this summary and use it confidently for reference.

I love the artwork too - very nice, yet easy to quickly reference all the information. Look at that neat list of referenced fairy tales at the bottom to. It's a very neat resource to have on hand. (Can we get a poster please?)

Here's a link to the Norton Critical Edition of The Classic Fairy Tales, edited by Maria Tartar, if you don't already have a copy, or need another to give to a friend.

In case it's not already clear, this book is highly recommended for any fairy tale study library, from the casual student to those more inclined to serious scholarship.

Here's the summary:

Fairy tales shape our cultures and enrich our imaginations; their narrative stability and cultural durability are incontestable. 

This Norton Critical Edition collects forty-four fairy tales, from the fifth century to the present. The Classic Fairy Tales focuses on six tale types: "Little Red Riding Hood," "Beauty and the Beast," "Snow White," "Cinderella," "Bluebeard," and "Hansel and Gretel," and presents multicultural variants and sophisticated literary rescriptings. Also reprinted are tales by Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde. 

"Criticism" gathers twelve essays that interpret aspects of fairy tales, including their social origins, historical evolution, psychological drama, gender issues, and national identities. 

A Selected Bibliography is included.

Interview: A Visit From "Tales Of Faerie" [1]

"Pardon me, noble sir. I'm truly grateful to you for your hospitality, which was so magnificent that I couldn't imagine that you would be offended by my taking such a little thing as a rose."
(Madame de Villeneuve)

Today I have a treat for you. Knowing that fellow fairy tale blogger, Kristin, of the lovely, thought provoking, Tales Of Faerie, was fast approaching her fifth anniversary since beginning her blog, I asked her a couple of weeks ago if she would mind being interviewed so we could get a little of a behind-the-scenes view of Tales Of Faerie. She graciously said yes, so, knowing her favorite tale is Beauty and the Beast and in anticipation for her visit I've decorated today's space with a few things I hope will make her feel at home on her special day: February 19, 2015. Today!

*hears knock at the door*

I think that's her now...

FTNH: *opens door* Welcome Kristin! And a very Happy Fifth Blog-a-versary to you! *grabs a little potted rosebush, hands it to Kristin* These are for you, for your garden. 

K: Why, thank you! I know it's a little cliche, but roses are indeed my favorite flower, and it's all because of Beauty and the Beast I'm sure...

FTNH:  *ushers her in toward a table for two spread with freshly-made coffee, a fruit platter with clawed feet and mini breakfast cupcakes, topped with little sugar roses* Thank you for the visit - especially on today of all days.

K: This looks amazing! I'm happy to stop by. Tales of Faerie wouldn't be anything like what it is today if it weren't for you and the other fabulous fairy tale bloggers and readers who take the time to share their thoughts!

FTNH:   I know it's early, so let's grab some coffee while we chat. *pours coffee into two demitasse coffee cups * I know you've written a little here and there about TOF but going waaaay back, do you remember the initial inspiration that started you blogging about fairy tales and their study? *adds plate with cupcake on it, next to Kristin's coffee*

K: Well, it all started when Disney's Beauty and the Beast came out. I was pretty young still but I think I was just at the right stage to hook on to a Disney Princess as "my favorite." For years I was obsessed with Belle and it really became part of my identity. As I grew older and started to think about it more I was still proud of the message of the movie overall-from having a Princess who loves to read and spurns unwanted suitors, to the whole aspect of loving someone for who they are on the inside. Eventually I became curious as to the history of the story and did a little digging online, which eventually led me to the SurLaLune site. The more I read the more I wanted to find out!

FTNH: Ah! Another research addict. *raises coffee cup in toast* Do you remember what it was that transitioned you from enjoying fairy tales to dabbling in scholarship?

K: First of all, discovering that there is actually a whole section of the library dedicated to fairy tales and their history was huge for me! I always thought of the nonfiction section as a place you only went to when you had to do research for school, and never something I would do for fun! Once I started reading more about the history of Beauty and the Beast, both in books and online, I discovered the existence of an older tale, by Madame de Villeneuve. I tried getting my hands on it, or at least finding a decent summary, but at the time it was really hard to find details on it. The few people that wrote about it seemed to have contradictory opinions on it. The curiosity to find out more about the elusive Villeneuve version really prompted me to research more. And my search into Beauty and the Beast naturally dovetailed into learning about other fairy tales, which I had always liked, if not quite as obsessively :)

FTNH:  Ah - curiosity! Always takes you down paths you could never have imagined..! I totally approve. *grins* It's one of the reasons I love Tales Of Faerie: you're not only asking questions but always looking to find out more. *serves Kristin another cupcake* Do you have a process for blogging, or studying then blogging?

K: If I have no specific topic or idea in mind, I might just go over to my bookshelf and pull down a book and start flipping through! Usually, though, through following other fairy tale blogs, or through reading I'm already doing, I'll find something that interests me and I think would interest readers. Although at times when I can't seem to think of anything to post about, I've been known to type things into google like "what should I blog about?" Inspiration can come in waves, there are days I just don't want to stop blogging and am so excited about what I learn, and other days when I just want to put more energy into other aspects of my life.

FTNH:  I'm all too familiar with those "wish I could clone myself" days when there seems to be a thousand things to report or write about. I'm just so glad you write as often as you do. As much as I believe in the importance of reporting on news with regard to fairy tales, I do wish I had more time to ponder and discuss ideas I have while I'm information gathering! Tales Of Faerie, gives me the chance to do that - and often! - so I really appreciate your posts giving me that outlet, more than you know as a result (though you may have figured I don't get to discuss the things on my mind too often from often lengthy comments I'll leave every now and then! Sorry about that...) *winces, notices angle of sun* Oh my goodness, the morning is already waning and I'm sure your Beast, er, Prince is missing you. Thank you so much for your visit. I wish we had longer to chat! There are so many things I'd love to ask you...

K: Of course! I'll show you around and we can chat some more. Why don't we meet over at Tales of Faerie at 11 for a tour? We can start with The Parlor Room.

FTNH: Oh my goodness! I'd be honored! Will we be able to see the grounds?  Could I bring some friends too? *to self* What should I wear?

K: Of course! I'll show you around and we can chat some more.

FTNH:  Wonderful! I'll see you at your blog at 11am today!

K:  I should go get things ready then! See you in a bit!

*waves goodbye to Kristin as she gallops off on her horse and goes back inside*

An invitation to Tales Of Faerie! I have to get ready...

If you'd like to join us on this special tour of TOF today, meet us over at Kristin's enchanted blog at 11am today. I'll bring this banner so you can easily follow along:

See you there! *exits in a rush to rifle through closet*

Note: All illustrations used, unless otherwise indicated, are from Kristin's favorite picture book version of Beauty and the Beast, written by Max Eilenberg, Illustrated by the amazing Angela Barrett (2006).

_________________________________________________________________________________

Next stop: TALES OF FAERIE: Parlor Room (Click -Parlor Room- to go straight there...)

CW's Beauty & the Beast Renewed for Season 4 (Before Season 3 Airs!)

I know I'm not the only one scratching my head regarding how this show manages to stay afloat, but it's been announced that Beauty and the Beast will not only return with a full Season Three but has been renewed for a Fourth as well. And all this well before Episode One of the coming season has aired or premiered anywhere!

The fan base, though not immense compared to other popular series shows, is both extremely loyal and very active so that's helped a lot.

In fact, although fans haven't had any new B&tB content for a while now they've been busy raising awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in honor of one of the main actors of the show having type 1 diabetes. They're working on a book of diabetic-friendly recipes called Beauty & the Feast - something I find fascinating since fairy tale fans will instantly recall how key the meal time is in the literary versions of Beauty and the Beast. (I wonder if the fans are aware of this too?)

It also helps that the big boss at CW reportedly has a personal soft spot for the show as well (it was the main concept he aimed to reboot and return to TV prime time as soon as he "took the CW's reins"). I guess that combination is enough to keep the ball rolling, and will happily employ a lot of good people too.

I admit I lost track of the show last season for a few reasons but I'm curious to see if the current focus on the old fairy tale, as well as Disney's coming remake, has any impact on the writing of the show and the issues it deals with.

If you're a fan and curious about what will happen in Season Three, there have been teasers put out there, many of which you can read about in detail HERE.

Beauty and the Beast returns to the CW on May 21st, 2015 for their third - and definitely not final - season.

Gabriel Pacheco's "The Jungle Book"

These illustrations for The Jungle Book are amazing.

They make me want to read Kipling's stories all over again. (I just came across these and had to share.)

I found a Spanish interview with Pacheco HERE on the challenge of creating new illustrations for The Jungle Book, and have used an auto-translator to assist in reposting some of it here:

The assignment was difficult. "A complicated challenge" qualifies illustrator Gabriel Pacheco... "And, well, you put Mowgli or Jungle Book in Google ... ". And search results overflowing with colorful images of the film adaptation of Disney. "But that was precisely what attracted me to illustrate a book with a great visual weight" explains via Skype from Buenos Aires.  

After the other, they began the problems . "The text they are so well made, has such workmanship, it is difficult to rework the characters because the text has solved. Worked great deal of time with this great conflict because the images I took out were superficial. They were not a reflection of the majesty of the text. "

After much rereading, came up with the solution: "I realized that I had not noticed the astonishment of the jungle Almost us goes unnoticed, but it is incredible that a child grows into it in the book, the weight of the jungle is.. amazing, so I decided to follow that path and work on the majesty of the jungle. I know it sounds simple, but it took three months of suffering come to that conclusion. I think it was nerves, anxiety draw a book with a very aesthetic view ... It was like drawing a Peter Pan "he explains.

You can read/see the first few pages of this edition of The Jungle Book HERE (it's in Spanish).

Gabriel Pacheco (Mexico, 1973), studied scenography at the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico.  

His visual work has earned numerous awards in Spain, Italy, Mexico and Japan. He has been part of the sample Illustrators of Children's Book Fair in Bologna.  

He has been nominated Alma award three times.

You can find many, many more of Pacheco's illustrations on his website HERE, including some fairy tales you might know well, such as Beauty and the Beast.

"The 7th Dwarf" Released in UK Theaters

There aren't much in the way of (English) reviews for this film but despite hopes for the production, with some ex-Disney Company names such as the talented (and, sadly, late) Harald Siepermann on the team (you may recognize some of his character design work from Tarzan, Enchanted and more), as well as design work from the amazing Man Arenas, I'm not sure I'd view this any way other than Netflix.

Even The Guardian's review, while generally a "thumbs up", is a bit sparse on details. But apparently there's a very successful franchise that this movie is a part of in Germany, so perhaps there's more to this than is immediately apparent.

The 7th Dwarf is the latest in the Snow White-inspired franchise created by German comedianOtto Waalkes. Two previous live-action versions of the series have together grossed around $75 million in Germany alone.

While it's difficult to truly assess trailers (what with the power of editing being able to transform a movie's story or genre), when I finally did view one I saw why it was initially thought to have a lot of potential.

Here's the trailer:

And the synopsis:

When Bobo, the youngest of the seven dwarves, accidentally pricks Princess Rose (a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty) and sends the kingdom into a century-long slumber, Bobo and the other six dwarves must travel into the future in order to revive Rose... and find that even the smallest dwarf can be a king.  

A hilarious mash-up of the best classic fairy tales for young and old alike, featuring a suicidal dragon, a brave little dwarf, non-stop gags, and toe-tapping songs in Stereo 3-D.

Clearly, "the gang's all here" (ie. all your standard fairy tale characters are here) which, admittedly, isn't my favorite fairy tale genre to begin with. Taking the little reviews have said though, I'm not confident it's as little-kid-friendly as it's supposed to be (think German sensibilities/humor!). There are bound to be some interesting ideas in there but are they worth mining for?

Additional sources: HERE, HERE and  HERE

School Transformed into Snow Queen Scenes - Kids' Grades Soar in Response

From The Snow Queen illustrated by Vadislav Erko - note all the tools of learning in this illustration

Wow. I wish kids here had the opportunity to learn like this! There's not a whole lot of information about this event, other than a very short piece in a local paper but it's a fantastic example of immersive learning and teaching through the arts and fairy tales to foster excellence in students.

The whole idea of using the setting to immerse student senses and live storytelling is to engender learning of often-challenging subjects for kids. And it works. It really, really works!

Here's the short report:

SCENES from Hans Christian Andersen's Snow Queen turned St Mary's Church of England Primary in Stansted into a fairy-tale world. 

Pupils felt like they were stepping into a storybook after staff gave the primary a revamp during a (pupil free) day. 

It set the backdrop as children started a two-week project basing all their literacy and artwork on different versions of the much-loved story. 

They were treated to a performance of the play by Quantum Theater, paid for by the school's PTFA. 

"Seeing the school transformed was a wonderful surprise and caused great excitement," said Kate Maginn, English co-ordinator. "All the children produced quality pieces of writing and art, whatever their age."

(Source HERE)

Congratulations to the caring and motivated parents and teachers who worked so hard on their pupil free day, made this happen and brought Quantum Theater into the school to bring the story to life to boot!

Not coincidentally, this type of education is exactly what Quantum Theater is all about. They're specifically set up to amp education via stories, fairy tales and theater. The idea is to help kids learn the basics, like reading, writing and maths, to enjoy the process and to get excited about learning even more. It's such a brilliant program. If I were wealthy I'd make a point of expanding their company so they can reach more kids.Here's more from the "About Us" section of Quantum Theater's website (we need these guys over here please!):

Quantum Theatre for Science was founded in 1988 as a direct response to the lack of educational drama available to schools on the subject of numeracy and science. Over twenty years on, nearly three thousand schools each year see Quantum performances, using them to introduce or re-enforce these topics, making Quantum Britain's foremost science and numeracy-based theatre-in-education company.

Our customers have come to rely on Quantum's characteristic style; educational elements combined with pacey, humorous musical theatre. Our aim is to make the world of science and numeracy accessible and relevant to children's everyday experiences by bringing it "to life."                     If you're wondering "Why Snow Queen?", there's a lot to work with in the story, with everything from each season getting a showcase through to the idea of puzzles, math and logic (not to mention writing on a fish!). I don't know how the play was written for the show to be specifically focused on reading and writing and more but whatever they're doing, it clearly worked. Works. They're still touring around other (lucky) schools. Could Quantum Theater (and the happy teachers and parents at St. Mary's Primary) please come have a chat with my son's school, so the kids here can also learn this way? I'm lucky if I get to do a proper storytelling for our kiddos, let alone transform the school for a unit! Note: photos are from St. Mary's Primary and from the Snow Queen production by Quantum Theater (found on their Twitter account). *We did a little of this in the Children's Theater I worked with but not to the extent of working with the education system directly. We would try to incorporate learning principles ourselves but it's so much more effective if teachers, parents and guests are working together!

Ask Baba Yaga: Should I Be Less Shy?

Baba Yaga's House by Boris Dimitrovski

Ah - when extroverts do not get introverts! It's a standard complaint of the quiet one, being seen as sad, sad little people... (not so!). But even though we know it's normal, the looks get to us after a while (the imply we are "less than") and we start to wonder, "should I do something about it?"

Today's timely question and answer (via poet and oracle Taisia Kitaiskaia* of The Hairpin):

(Originally posted at The Hairpin HERE)

Oh good point.. it's not about me at all and I do not need "fixing". I'll be over here, not talking... probably reading... or writing... or contemplating the mysteries of the universe. And I'll be happy too.

Baba Yaga by Boris Dimitrovski

What do you think of Baba Yaga's advice?

Want to ask Baba Yaga a question of your own?

You can!

There's now an email address where you can send your questions

directly to Baba Yaga herself.

AskBabaYaga AT gmail DOT com

To encourage Baba Yaga to continue imparting her no-bones-about-it wisdom (ok, there may be some gristle in there... bones too), I suggest we not to leave her box empty... 

Thank you Baba Yaga (& Taisia).

* Taisia Kitaiskaia is a poet, writer, and Michener Center for Writers fellow. Born in Russia and raised in America, she's had her poems and translations published in Narrative Magazine, Poetry International, and others.