RUMPELSTILTSKIN'S DAUGHTER
by Diane Stanley & illustrated by Diane Stanley
A feminist revision of Rumpelstiltskin, in which the small man and the miller's daughter marry and raise a daughter, Hope, who finds herself in the same room of straw her mother once faced. She tricks the king out of his selfish ways, by making him provide for his subjects, who then raise golden wheat in the fields, and dress in golden wool knit clothes. The king realizes that generosity brings far more wealth than mere gold can; Hope becomes the country's prime minister. Stanley (Leonardo da Vinci, 1996, etc.) plugs in quips and fast plot maneuvers to keep this tale hopping, but it's the detailed, humorous illustrations that will entice readers, for she slightly alters her familiar style to encompass the comic pitch. Those who like Babette Cole's send- ups will find plenty of giggles in this reworking. (Picture book. 5-8)