Once Upon a Time: The Barefoot Book of Fairy Tales

Fairy tales are very popular in our house. I'm not sure why, but my 4-year-old son is really into them. Maybe it's the timeless stories, or perhaps it's the element of fantasy involved (he's an imaginative little boy), but regardless of the reason, he's very drawn to them. For that reason, The Barefoot Book of Fairy Tales has been getting a lot of mileage with us.

It's 160 pages of stories from familiar classics, like Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella, to lesser known but no less enjoyable tales from China (The Jeweled Sea), Ukraine (The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship), and Native American peoples (The Celestial Sisters). The retellings themselves, by Malachy Doyle, are really compelling and well-written, and are fun for both children and adults to read. The contemporary but classic illustrations by artist Nicoletta Ceccoli are delightful, too, although we've come to expect that from Barefoot. The book itself is a sturdy, hardbound edition, with a nice sewn-in ribbon bookmark so you don't lose your place.

We're giving away a set of five Barefoot Books, including this one! Send an email with the word BAREFOOT in the subject line to contests@marinmommies.com by midnight on February 2, 2008. Click here for more giveaway information and a complete title list. This drawing is generously sponsored by Barefoot Books.