ONCE UPON A GOLDEN APPLE Jean Little and Maggie de Vries. Illustrated by Phoebe Gilman. Markham, ON: Viking Press, 1991. 32pp., cloth, $16.95. ISBN 0-670-82963-3. Distributed by Penguin Books Canada. CIP. Subject Headings: Fairy tales. Imagination-Fiction. Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 4-7 Reviewed by Gwen Maguire. Volume 19 Number 4 1991 September Jean Little, an award-winning author, has written a number of children's books, which include Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird (Penguin, 1984) Lost and Found ¹, Little by Little ² and Stars Come Out Within (Viking Canada, 1990). She has co-authored this picture-book with Maggie de Vries, a graduate student attending the University of British Columbia. Together the authors have produced a hilarious tale that will immediately capture the attention and interest of any child. The story describes in detail a father reading a delightful mixed-up fairy-tale storyline to his two children. The authors very skilfully use the fairy-tale storyline to involve children in the making of their own individual fairytale and at the same time they bring in many mixed-up and well-known children's rhymes and fairy-tales. The story begins with dad introducing the fairy-tale with "Once upon a ... golden apple ...." The children respond, "No! No! No!" He then begins again with "Once upon a magic pebble ...." and "Once upon a singing fiddle ...." With each suggestion the father makes, the children become more adamant in their "No!" responses until finally they jump for joy with an elated "Yes!" when dad finally says, "Once upon a time". Everything seems to go wrong in this fairy-tale. Snow White lives with the three bears, Little Red Riding Hood befriends Chicken Little, a princess kisses a cow with a crumpled horn and turns him into a roly poly pudding. Eventually, the problems are solved and everyone lives happily ever after. Artist Phoebe Gilman (author and illustrator of four excellent picturebooks entitled Lillian Riggs (Scholastic-TAB, 1985), The Balloon Tree ³, Little Blue Ben (Scholastic-TAB, 1986) and Grandma and the Pirates 4, uses detailed, attractive and colourful illustrations to enrich and enhance the story. Gilman successfully captures the humour, action and emotional reactions of the characters. Children will thoroughly enjoy this picture-book, which I highly recommend as an ideal choice for both preschool and Primary classrooms. Gwen Maguire, St. John's, NF. ¹ Reviewed vol. XIV/1 January 1986, p.17. ² Reviewed vol. XVI/4 July 1988, p. 121. ³ Reviewed vol. Xlll /3 May 1985, p. 136. 4 Reviewed vol. XVIII/6 November 1990, p. 267.