Available in bookshops nationwide.
We know all about the backgrounds, skills, and cleverness of the “good guys” in our beloved fairytales. Inside the Villains provides a behind the scenes look at the top three ‘bad guys’ from well-known stories in this uniquely crafted and awesomely oversized book.
Children (and adults!) will delight in lifting the flaps to reveal the surprises hiding inside the villains. Peeling back the fur of The Wolf will reveal Grandma’s nightgown and his brilliant ideas. You can find an assortment of fairytale characters by pulling open his ‘misery guts’ and see that Fresh meat is always in his heart. Be careful when loosening the buckles on The Giant’s coat as he keeps sharp knives in his pockets alongside his magic harp and sack of coins. A heavily tattooed chest tells us that this Giant is HANGRY for meat and lots of it! When you push aside The Witch’s feathery cloak you will be met with a surprisingly sweet frock and an adorable black cat but don’t be fooled because when taking a peek under the frilly layers you’ll soon uncover her terrified captive and terrible trophy case as well as her knickers!
This book is truly amazing and needs to be read and played with in order to be fully appreciated. The dark but vibrant cover illustrations drew me in immediately but what I found inside was a real treat. After the amusement of lifting all the flaps I was happy to discover a fold out spread accompanies each villain which includes strengths, weaknesses, top foods, favourite pastimes, prized possessions and physical attributes. As well as a library of other stories that you can find The Wolf, The Giant and The Witch in, each villain character spread includes one full and uncensored story — The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats, Jack and the Beanstalk and Alyoshka and Baba Yaga — that are sure to capture the attention and stimulate the imagination of young audiences and readers. These tales are not for the faint of heart though, as our villains meet their untimely demise at the hands of their cunning victims in some truly gruesome ways. Which may leave you thinking who are the real victims of these stories?
The villains truly are the stars of these dark fairytales and Clotilde Perrin has made them come alive with this remarkable interactive book. Children will be enchanted (and just a little horrified) by the three stories told in this book but the real magic and pleasure will come from lifting the flaps to reveal the villains’ darkest secrets. A perfect gift for for any child who loves fairytales!
Reviewed by Alana Bird
Inside the Villains
by Clotilde Perrin
Published by Gecko Press
ISBN 9781776571987
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