For children learning to navigate frightening challenges and find inner strength, this classic tale explores courage and resourcefulness in difficult times.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is facing a big fear or a seemingly impossible challenge and needs a story about finding their own strength and cleverness. This classic fairy tale tells the story of two siblings, Hansel and Gretel, who are abandoned in the forest by their impoverished parents. They must use their wits to survive and ultimately escape from a wicked witch who lives in a gingerbread house. This story powerfully explores themes of fear, bravery, sibling loyalty, and resilience. For ages 6 to 9, it's a quintessential tale of good versus evil that demonstrates how even small children can be resourceful and courageous in the face of great danger, making it a valuable story for discussing problem-solving and inner strength.
Children are deliberately abandoned in the woods by their parents due to poverty.
Mild PerilMild
The siblings are lost in a dark forest, facing hunger and unknown dangers.
Sensitive Topics
The story's central conflicts are driven by poverty, starvation, and parental abandonment. The abandonment is direct and intentional. The witch's cannibalistic intentions and her subsequent death (being burned alive in her oven) are key plot points. The approach is secular and typical of classic European folklore. The resolution is entirely hopeful for the protagonists: the villains are punished, and the family unit is restored to a better, more secure state.
Ideal Reader
This book is for a 7- to 9-year-old who enjoys adventure stories with clear stakes and a touch of the macabre. It suits a child who is ready to process the idea that adults can make bad choices, and that kids can be powerful and resourceful on their own. It also appeals to children who enjoy survival stories and clever problem-solving under pressure.
Parent Prep
Parents should preview this book. The themes of intentional abandonment and a child-eating witch can be very frightening. A parent should be prepared to discuss the desperation of the parents and to firmly reassure their child of their own safety and security. The violent climax where Gretel kills the witch also warrants a pre-read and potential conversation about self-defense and justice in stories. A parent has noticed their child is expressing fears about getting lost, being left alone, or encountering strangers with bad intentions. The child might be asking 'what if' questions about scary scenarios, indicating they are ready to explore these themes in the safe container of a story.
Age Experience
A younger child (age 6) will likely focus on the fairy tale elements: the candy house, the scary witch, and the triumphant escape. The parental abandonment may be the most difficult part for them to process. An older child (ages 8-9) is better equipped to understand the motivations behind the abandonment (poverty) and to appreciate Gretel's cunning and bravery as a form of empowerment. They can see the story as a metaphor for overcoming big obstacles.
What Makes It Special
Among classic fairy tales, Hansel & Gretel stands out for its stark portrayal of child agency in the complete absence of adult help. Unlike characters who receive magical aid, the siblings rely solely on their own wits and their bond with each other. Their victory is entirely self-made, making it one of the most powerful folktales about childhood resilience and resourcefulness. This specific Usborne edition offers an accessible, chapter-book format for early independent readers.
Read plot summary
Two siblings, Hansel and Gretel, are abandoned in the forest by their destitute father and cruel stepmother. Following a trail of pebbles and then breadcrumbs, they become lost and discover a house made of gingerbread. The owner, a wicked witch, captures them with the intent to cook and eat them. Through their combined courage and cleverness, Gretel tricks the witch, shoves her into the oven, and the children escape with her treasure. They find their way home to their father, whose cruel wife has died, and they live happily ever after.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
When Hansel left the trail of breadcrumbs, he was trying to be clever, but the birds ate them. Why do you think his plan didn't work, while Gretel's plan to trick the witch did?
2
The witch made her house out of candy and gingerbread to trick children. Can you think of other examples in stories where something that looks good on the outside is actually dangerous?
3
At the end of the story, Hansel and Gretel go home to their father after their stepmother has died. If you were them, would you have forgiven your father for leaving you in the forest? Why or why not?
4
Hansel and Gretel had to rely on each other to survive. What are some of the ways they helped each other in the story?
