Bewitching books for kids

20 November 2025, The Tablet

Maurice Sendak’s illustrations for Hansel and Gretel inspired Stephen King’s retelling

© THE MAURICE SENDAK FOUNDATION, INC.

Christmas presents for younger readers

Are the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm really suitable for children? This year’s extraordinary new edition of Hansel and Gretel (Hodder, £20; Tablet price £18), reimagined by the horror writer Stephen King, will do plenty to fuel the debate. King shaped his retelling around illustrations that Maurice Sendak created in 1997 as part of an operatic set design – and the result is not for the faint-hearted.

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