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Snow White
'Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?'
the mirror answered,
'Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true, But Snow White is fairer than you. '
When the wicked queen orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the forest, kill her and bring back her heart as proof, he is so taken by her beauty that he spares her. Venturing into the depths of the forest, Snow White finds a little house belonging to a family of dwarves who take her in. However, when the queen discovers that Snow White is still alive she is furious and again takes up her mission to do away with fairest maiden in the land.
This is a fresh and enchanting retelling of a classic children's story with breath-taking illustrations.
the mirror answered,
'Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true, But Snow White is fairer than you. '
When the wicked queen orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the forest, kill her and bring back her heart as proof, he is so taken by her beauty that he spares her. Venturing into the depths of the forest, Snow White finds a little house belonging to a family of dwarves who take her in. However, when the queen discovers that Snow White is still alive she is furious and again takes up her mission to do away with fairest maiden in the land.
This is a fresh and enchanting retelling of a classic children's story with breath-taking illustrations.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 1991
4 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
About the author
Josephine Poole
42 books19 followersJane Penelope Josephine Helyar known by her nom de plume Josephine Poole is the renowned author of several books for children and young adults. Her first book was published in 1961, and she has also written extensively for television. She lives in Somerset.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 25, 2011
Text: pretty much the standard story line, a bit on the wordy side.
No idea why the author added the bit about the animals not killing Snow White because she was so pretty. That's right, little girls, being pretty is so important that even wild animals care. No, really, you can pet the bear, honey. You're pretty!
Oh, and the ending was changed so that the evil queen (accidentally? not clear) killed herself.
Illustrations: atmospheric and lovely, although there were some problems with perspective. And anatomy. And the father and the huntsman looked exactly alike to me.
Overall a fine if not memorable version. However, when the publisher says "Only a few times each century is there a new edition of Snow White that offers an entirely fresh and entrancing approach to the story" then I expect something more special and unique. This wasn't either. I'll stick with Hyman's version.
No idea why the author added the bit about the animals not killing Snow White because she was so pretty. That's right, little girls, being pretty is so important that even wild animals care. No, really, you can pet the bear, honey. You're pretty!
Oh, and the ending was changed so that the evil queen (accidentally? not clear) killed herself.
Illustrations: atmospheric and lovely, although there were some problems with perspective. And anatomy. And the father and the huntsman looked exactly alike to me.
Overall a fine if not memorable version. However, when the publisher says "Only a few times each century is there a new edition of Snow White that offers an entirely fresh and entrancing approach to the story" then I expect something more special and unique. This wasn't either. I'll stick with Hyman's version.
June 6, 2023
This is another beautifully illustrated traditional version of Snow White(with very few new additions). One of the best parts of this book is the Dwarves. They are excellently drawn & written.
Each illustration in this book is romantic, haunting & mysterious. The depictions of nature are brilliant.
The top three Snow White illustrations I have seen so far are done by Trina Schart Hyman, Charles Santore and Angela Barrett. Out of these three, I think, Barrett's Snow White is the fairest of all. There is something more pure, innocent, dreamy and feminine about this Snow White.
I wish I could buy this one.
Each illustration in this book is romantic, haunting & mysterious. The depictions of nature are brilliant.
The top three Snow White illustrations I have seen so far are done by Trina Schart Hyman, Charles Santore and Angela Barrett. Out of these three, I think, Barrett's Snow White is the fairest of all. There is something more pure, innocent, dreamy and feminine about this Snow White.
I wish I could buy this one.
April 2, 2014
Gorgeous!!
May 9, 2022
What a beautiful book, one of my favorite Snow White illustrated books now. I love it, I cannot find any fault with it. The pictures are dark and mysterious; the story is engrossing and fantastical.
June 2, 2025
This rating is for the edition retold by Josephine Poole and illustrated by Angela Barrett.
December 30, 2008
I love this story in general, but this is my favorite. It is the most engaging version of this tale I have ever read. It begins with an image of blood smear on snow- setting the tone for the telling (though it is never gruesome, just more "seriously" told). The wicked queen even tries to kill SW 3 times, a fairy tale canon I appreciate. The illustrations have an enchanting lyrical beauty.
October 24, 2010
Unbelievably beautiful illustrations by Angela Barrett, and a nice (longish) retelling of the fairy tale.
February 3, 2022
Let’s admit, Snow White is just a weird tale. This retelling was even more random.
The mom pricks her finger stitching—in the winter with the window open—and sees the blood in the snow and wishes she had a child as red as blood white as snow and black as wood (what does that mean?? She doesn’t even specify lips and hair.
The queen dies, and the king married a year later for his daughters sake. Idk why cause she ends up pretty much alone being taught by tutors and governesses. The new mom doesn’t even help raise her so what’s the point!
Oh the huntsman couldn’t go through killing her because she was so lovely and cried so piteously but he leaves her in the forest knowing wild animals will get her, so he pretty much does kill her!
But the animals don’t kill her, they run with her in company because they pity her for being scared and running and getting scratched by briars.
She finds a cottage in the clearing and takes a bite of bread and cheese from each place so she doesn’t take a whole helping and a drink from each cup of wine. I thought she’d take turns sleeping in each bed too!
Snow White is said to be pretty but I kept waiting for her to suddenly look pretty but she didn’t.
The seven dwarfs said she could stay if she cooked and cleaned for them. They came home to find supper ready. But then who left out the bread and cheese the day she arrived?! They left dinner out on the table all day??
The mirror just gave away where Snow White was!
‘Snow White, living in the glen
With the seven little men,
Is a thousand times more fair.’
The queen walks over seven mountains to get to the cottage because she couldn’t go through the forest because the animals would kill her.
She gets there, disguised as an old peddled selling lace and stuff and Snow White lets her in. She gives her the lace and threads them up her bodice so tight she can’t breathe and Snow White faints.
You think the queen would do something more permanent.
The dwarfs get home and cut her loose and tell her not to let anyone in.
The queen goes and brews up some poison, puts it on a brooch,& since Snow White won’t let anyone in, she puts the clip in her hair & she faints. Again. The dwarfs get home and take the brooch out of her hair & tell her once again her stepmother is wicked and cunning and to watch out. Well Snow White isn’t too bright is she?
Also to walk across seven mountains once—let alone twice—you think the queen would bother to do the job right.
This idiot falls for it a third time. This time it’s a poisoned apple,& I gotta admit it was clever for the witch to take half of the apple to show it wasn’t poisoned. Except it was. Somehow it’s a half red half white apple and the poison was only in the red side. Never seen an apple that’s evenly two different colors like that.
The kind dwarfs decide that one of them will always watch over her grave.
The queen is told by her mirror she is the fairest once again, so she thinks she killed Snow White.
This is The Most Bizarre Thing.
One day a prince is hunting in the forest and comes across Snow White in her glass coffin, because the dwarfs couldn’t bear to bury her with her seeming to still be alive. Her cheeks were red but did she have a heartbeat??
Anyway, he begs the dwarfs for her—a comatose looking person—in a COFFIN and says he can’t live without her, except she isn’t exactly living!! So creepy.
His servants pick the coffin up and stumble and the crumb flew out of her mouth. I can’t.
She comes to life and everyone rejoices. Gosh this is weird!
They plan to marry and the queen gets an invitation but doesn’t know who it’s for.
The mirror tells her ‘the young bride is a thousand times more fair” so she has to go and see who, planning to give her a poisoned rose on her pillow. She sees it’s Snow White and clutched the rose and dies from her own poison.
The dwarfs are made counselors.
Snow White and the Prince live happily ever after.
I loved the last page. It was the prettiest. They’re all standing in the gazebo by the water, framed by trees, overlooking the boats and sunset and birds. That gazebo was awesome; I want my own like that! I love the swirly metal of the top of it.
Perhaps people will like this shows the little people as actual little people and not mythical dwarfs.
This was quite wordy for what looks like a kid’s story.
The mom pricks her finger stitching—in the winter with the window open—and sees the blood in the snow and wishes she had a child as red as blood white as snow and black as wood (what does that mean?? She doesn’t even specify lips and hair.
The queen dies, and the king married a year later for his daughters sake. Idk why cause she ends up pretty much alone being taught by tutors and governesses. The new mom doesn’t even help raise her so what’s the point!
Oh the huntsman couldn’t go through killing her because she was so lovely and cried so piteously but he leaves her in the forest knowing wild animals will get her, so he pretty much does kill her!
But the animals don’t kill her, they run with her in company because they pity her for being scared and running and getting scratched by briars.
She finds a cottage in the clearing and takes a bite of bread and cheese from each place so she doesn’t take a whole helping and a drink from each cup of wine. I thought she’d take turns sleeping in each bed too!
Snow White is said to be pretty but I kept waiting for her to suddenly look pretty but she didn’t.
The seven dwarfs said she could stay if she cooked and cleaned for them. They came home to find supper ready. But then who left out the bread and cheese the day she arrived?! They left dinner out on the table all day??
The mirror just gave away where Snow White was!
‘Snow White, living in the glen
With the seven little men,
Is a thousand times more fair.’
The queen walks over seven mountains to get to the cottage because she couldn’t go through the forest because the animals would kill her.
She gets there, disguised as an old peddled selling lace and stuff and Snow White lets her in. She gives her the lace and threads them up her bodice so tight she can’t breathe and Snow White faints.
You think the queen would do something more permanent.
The dwarfs get home and cut her loose and tell her not to let anyone in.
The queen goes and brews up some poison, puts it on a brooch,& since Snow White won’t let anyone in, she puts the clip in her hair & she faints. Again. The dwarfs get home and take the brooch out of her hair & tell her once again her stepmother is wicked and cunning and to watch out. Well Snow White isn’t too bright is she?
Also to walk across seven mountains once—let alone twice—you think the queen would bother to do the job right.
This idiot falls for it a third time. This time it’s a poisoned apple,& I gotta admit it was clever for the witch to take half of the apple to show it wasn’t poisoned. Except it was. Somehow it’s a half red half white apple and the poison was only in the red side. Never seen an apple that’s evenly two different colors like that.
The kind dwarfs decide that one of them will always watch over her grave.
The queen is told by her mirror she is the fairest once again, so she thinks she killed Snow White.
This is The Most Bizarre Thing.
One day a prince is hunting in the forest and comes across Snow White in her glass coffin, because the dwarfs couldn’t bear to bury her with her seeming to still be alive. Her cheeks were red but did she have a heartbeat??
Anyway, he begs the dwarfs for her—a comatose looking person—in a COFFIN and says he can’t live without her, except she isn’t exactly living!! So creepy.
His servants pick the coffin up and stumble and the crumb flew out of her mouth. I can’t.
She comes to life and everyone rejoices. Gosh this is weird!
They plan to marry and the queen gets an invitation but doesn’t know who it’s for.
The mirror tells her ‘the young bride is a thousand times more fair” so she has to go and see who, planning to give her a poisoned rose on her pillow. She sees it’s Snow White and clutched the rose and dies from her own poison.
The dwarfs are made counselors.
Snow White and the Prince live happily ever after.
I loved the last page. It was the prettiest. They’re all standing in the gazebo by the water, framed by trees, overlooking the boats and sunset and birds. That gazebo was awesome; I want my own like that! I love the swirly metal of the top of it.
Perhaps people will like this shows the little people as actual little people and not mythical dwarfs.
This was quite wordy for what looks like a kid’s story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2013
Snow White is a childhood fairy-tale that many children have grown up with. Disney made this a huge classic but this version brings a slightly different tale to it. We get to see how her mother wished for her to be as she is 'as red as blood, as white as snow and as black as the wood of an ebony tree!'.
Her mother dies after giving birth to her and so doesn't get to see her grow up, but her father remarries for the sake of Snow White. His new wife is extremely jealous of her beauty as her magic mirror tells her that Snow White is fairer than her. She tries to get a huntsman to kill Snow White but when he cannot go through with this he lets her go and she runs away and moves in with seven dwarfs who she cooks and cleans for. When the Queen realises that Snow White is still alive she herself tries to kill her using different methods but the dwarfs come to her rescue the first two times. On the third attempt the dwarfs have no luck in trying to bring Snow White back to life but cannot bare to bury her so they lay her in a glass coffin and leave it on the mountainside.
A prince comes along one day and is struck by her beauty and pleads with the dwarfs to let him keep her. They finally agree and when his servants are carrying her down the mountain they slip and the poison falls out of Snow Whites mouths. She awakes and the prince and seven dwarfs are overcome with joy at the miracle – the prince begs for her to be his bride. They have a big wedding in which the evil queen goes to – when she realises that it is Snow White that is the bride she clutches a poisonous rose (which she meant to leave on the bride’s pillow) and dies of her own poison.
Snow white the prince and the seven dwarfs live happily ever after!
The illustrations in this book are enchanting and brilliant and really make the story come alive. Some of the story is quite dark which is reflected through these images but helps set the tone of the book. I think this version is more ideal for KS2 as some of the comprehension and wording would be too advanced for KS1. It would also be good for children to see the different version to the Disney one which can sometimes sugar – coat a story throughout
Her mother dies after giving birth to her and so doesn't get to see her grow up, but her father remarries for the sake of Snow White. His new wife is extremely jealous of her beauty as her magic mirror tells her that Snow White is fairer than her. She tries to get a huntsman to kill Snow White but when he cannot go through with this he lets her go and she runs away and moves in with seven dwarfs who she cooks and cleans for. When the Queen realises that Snow White is still alive she herself tries to kill her using different methods but the dwarfs come to her rescue the first two times. On the third attempt the dwarfs have no luck in trying to bring Snow White back to life but cannot bare to bury her so they lay her in a glass coffin and leave it on the mountainside.
A prince comes along one day and is struck by her beauty and pleads with the dwarfs to let him keep her. They finally agree and when his servants are carrying her down the mountain they slip and the poison falls out of Snow Whites mouths. She awakes and the prince and seven dwarfs are overcome with joy at the miracle – the prince begs for her to be his bride. They have a big wedding in which the evil queen goes to – when she realises that it is Snow White that is the bride she clutches a poisonous rose (which she meant to leave on the bride’s pillow) and dies of her own poison.
Snow white the prince and the seven dwarfs live happily ever after!
The illustrations in this book are enchanting and brilliant and really make the story come alive. Some of the story is quite dark which is reflected through these images but helps set the tone of the book. I think this version is more ideal for KS2 as some of the comprehension and wording would be too advanced for KS1. It would also be good for children to see the different version to the Disney one which can sometimes sugar – coat a story throughout
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December 10, 2012Who would’ve ever thought that there was a different version than the Disney Snow White? I definitely knew about it but I didn’t know how different it would’ve been! I read the story Snow White retold by Josephine Poole and Illustrated by Angela Barret. The story of Disney Snow White is also in this storyline but there are a couple of twists in it. In the beginning we got see how Snow White became, Snow White. Her mother actually wished for Snow White to look like that and then it jumps to the storyline that we all know. Some of the interesting parts was that the evil step-mom didn’t tried to kill her more in this story. First was the huntsman but there was more than that! The second time the the queen killed her by lacing her dress up really tight, but then she came back because the dwarfs were there to help her. The third time the queen brought Snow White a comb that was layered with poison and combed it on Snow White’s head to make her die once again, but the Dwarfs came back to save her by pulling it out of her head. And then the last way is the way that we all know which is the apple. After this, the author retells the storyline that we all know from the Disney movie.
I thought this is a good book for older students because it’s a little dark for younger students to read. The book looks dark because the pictures and the colors, like dark colors, that are used to make the storyline very dark. I really liked this book because I heard that there was another way Snow White was told and I was excited to read another storyline that didn’t sugar-coat everything. I don’t think I would recommend this book till middle school because of how dark the storyline is. I’m not sure how or when teachers would use this book for, but possibly to help show students that every generation there are changes that are made to traditional stories. It was good read a different version of Snow White. People always told me that Disney ruined the traditional stories of many stories, and now I see how Disney “sugar-coated” some things.
I thought this is a good book for older students because it’s a little dark for younger students to read. The book looks dark because the pictures and the colors, like dark colors, that are used to make the storyline very dark. I really liked this book because I heard that there was another way Snow White was told and I was excited to read another storyline that didn’t sugar-coat everything. I don’t think I would recommend this book till middle school because of how dark the storyline is. I’m not sure how or when teachers would use this book for, but possibly to help show students that every generation there are changes that are made to traditional stories. It was good read a different version of Snow White. People always told me that Disney ruined the traditional stories of many stories, and now I see how Disney “sugar-coated” some things.
February 22, 2008
I love this version of the fairy tale. The illustrations were beautiful.
October 1, 2013
Beautiful artwork, romantic from the get-go, sophisticated writing but not over much. An older elementary child would have no problem with comprehension.
November 19, 2022
A beautiful picture book version of the fairy tale…very thorough. I love that the artwork is modest and also there’s no kissing…so that was a bonus. Great version.
July 18, 2008
This book is exquisite.
October 28, 2017
The illustrations aren't to my taste, very wispy and lacking detail. The story is basic, the classic story but bypassing any opportunity for original flourishes. Also, how stupid is Snow White? You live in the middle of nowhere in the mountains and a woman walks by selling her wares...you almost die. Okay, but then you fall for it two more times...? Really?!
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May 4, 2020This story is about a girl names Snow White, who had pale skin and dark black hair. This book takes a different turn to describe the story of Snow White, from your typical fairytale. The haunting fairy story of how simplicity and kindness triumph over vanity and greed.
July 1, 2017
Another nice book that I loved with the kids
May 18, 2022
Exceptional combination of illustrations and story. My 2nd Graders were captivated.
November 5, 2022
Snow White by Josephine Poole with Angela Barrett – Angela Barrett illustrations never disappoint! Happy Reading!
May 5, 2025
This version of Snow White is exceptionally well-written and the illustrations are gorgeous! Of all the copies I have read, this would be one I would want to own.
June 24, 2020
Beautiful illustrations, and the story follows the most widely known Grimm traditional version, with a few important changes that dilute the story a bit. I prefer the version by Paul Heins and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman Snow White that gives readers an interesting perspective through Hyman's wonderful illustrations.
September 24, 2012
What a thrilling fairy tale! What a romantic love story! What a comforting happy ending! I love this story so much from my childhood until now. To be honest, I have read this book for several times when I still was a child though this book has been translated into Chinese. However, the content in the book hasn't changed, the motion in the book hasn't changed and the characters haven't changed at all, the Chinese edition and English edition are totally same. So when I read this book again, some beautiful pictures just recall my memories that I have never forget.
I am so familiar with the story in <> that I can retell the love story without any review of it. I admire Snow White's bravery, persistence, goodness and beauty, also I envy that she has a such great husband. As far as I'm concerned, I will only cry and cry day by day because of my scare, if I encounter such kind of situation and die with no one rescues me at all in the end. So a beautiful girl should not only have a pretty face but also a powerful and good soul.
What I mostly praise in this book is the first and the last picture in this book, they are the same which there's a red blood in the white snow ground. What a pure frame!
I am so familiar with the story in <> that I can retell the love story without any review of it. I admire Snow White's bravery, persistence, goodness and beauty, also I envy that she has a such great husband. As far as I'm concerned, I will only cry and cry day by day because of my scare, if I encounter such kind of situation and die with no one rescues me at all in the end. So a beautiful girl should not only have a pretty face but also a powerful and good soul.
What I mostly praise in this book is the first and the last picture in this book, they are the same which there's a red blood in the white snow ground. What a pure frame!
October 16, 2016
A beautiful version, both in the direct yet elegant telling and in the gorgeous, intelligent, and imaginative illustration. A couple of questions, though: why does the prince look like everyone else at the final coffin scenes, instead of looking distinguished? He begs Snow White to marry him, but we get no sense of their interaction, never mind why she might want to consent! Amid the coffin-bearers, when the glass lid is finally open, Snow White seems to be looking at no one in particular, and it's not hard to wonder why. (Many of the onlookers seem to be gazing at an unseen star well over her head.) Ask a friend to pick out the prince and see whether he/she can!
Meanwhile the writer is excellent at indicating *why* things happen, in this book, without aping the phrasings of other writers, and does an admirable job. I love the addition of birds (I assume they are additions) to watch over the glass coffin. I did wonder, however, why the evil stepmother brought a rose to the wedding to put on the bride's pillow. Do most wedding guests have access to the bride's pillow? I should have chosen the bride's bouquet as a more obvious and accessible place to place a poisoned rose. But these are quibbles.
Meanwhile the writer is excellent at indicating *why* things happen, in this book, without aping the phrasings of other writers, and does an admirable job. I love the addition of birds (I assume they are additions) to watch over the glass coffin. I did wonder, however, why the evil stepmother brought a rose to the wedding to put on the bride's pillow. Do most wedding guests have access to the bride's pillow? I should have chosen the bride's bouquet as a more obvious and accessible place to place a poisoned rose. But these are quibbles.
July 1, 2015
This is a fairytale-retelling book that is an awful lot like the original. It is about a girl who is born to a king and queen with really pale skin, black hair, and red lips, just as her mother wished for. Yet, the mother dies soon after, and the king remarries to a woman who is, unbeknownst to him, incredibly vain. Eventually, Snow White is taken to the woods where she is spared and finds an empty cottage that ends up belonging to seven little dwarves. They let her stay but constantly warn her about how dangerous Snow White’s step-mother is. The evil queen successfully give Snow White a poisoned apple, and she is put into a deep sleep, looking like she’s dead. So, it’s like the original, no surprises whatsoever, but the pictures are nice to look at and children, mostly girls, would have some interest in what happens to the pretty princess.
October 9, 2012
I wasn't a huge fan of this version. Maybe I am remembering it differently from when I was a younger, but the Snow White is supposed to only be poisoned by an apple, not a comb and linens too? Oh and she is supposed to be woken up by a Prince, not his servants knocking the poison out of her throat? I just wasn't a huge fan, there is a reason these books are classics, and that is because the story shouldn't chance. But I understand that when things are so old, they tend to change a little each time they are told.
December 3, 2015
I thought this version of Snow white was really well done. I mostly enjoyed the illustrations because they were detailed and beautiful. There were drawings on each page and they were in the style of realism. It is about A young girl named Snow White who had to run away to a small cottage with dwarfs in the woods. Her stepmother was jealous of her beauty and wanted to kill her. Each time she failed except the last poison apple. The apple came out of her throat and she lived in the end.
January 14, 2017
This retelling of the classic tale of Snow White is a twisted read for sure. It's been a long time since I read the original Brothers Grimm story. I'm sure young readers and listeners will be surprised at the differences between the Disney motion picture adaptation and this one. Snow Whites overly trusting and naive personality practically asks to be murdered by the evil queen. She would most definitely be the first to die in any horror movie.
December 19, 2016
The illustrations by Angela Barrett are beautiful, but the story remains the same: A bitter rivalry between stepmother and stepdaughter regarding physical beauty. I don't know how much this interpretation compares with the original, but I think the story line is terribly weak with only a superficial message.
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November 5, 2011Snow white is childhood fairy tales that may people grow up with. I would use this book as way for children to see that everyone is different and we shouldn’t be jealous for it. I would also expend this by having the children right and color there own fairy tale.
April 3, 2012
This version of the story is not written for young children to read. The words are too big for their vocabulary. However, it is well written for you story time. I just recommend reading it once before reading it allowed because the words don't flow smoothly like many children's stories.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews