The Elves and the Shoemaker (review)

Children's literature scholar Cech here turns his retelling skills to the classic Grimm Brothers fairy tale about a shoemaker's changing luck. Helped by nocturnal visitors who prove to be elves, the cobbler and his wife thank their benefactors with the gift of new clothes; the elves recognize the act of emancipation for what it is and take off joyfully, while good fortune continues to smile down on the shoemaker and his wife. Cech's adaptation is straightforward and direct, eschewing complex details or descriptive passages and focusing on the events. The art, by contrast, is casually sophisticated: Chelushkin's illustrations offer extensively detailed compositions that play with a variety of media, including pen and ink, block print, pencil, and oil, with the differing styles often overlapping on a single page. The pencil-scribble texturing and smoky earth-color pigments make for some intriguing visuals, and the playful experimentation is evocative; an element of surrealism pervades many of the spreads, with magical creatures peering out from unexpected places. This is a moodier take than usual on this familiar tale, and it offers a good excuse to revisit a story the youngsters may feel they have outgrown. A lengthy note provides information on the Grimm Brothers, the role of elves in both folklore and ancient belief, and details about this particular tale.