“I’m telling the best of the tales in my own voice, and I’m finding it a great purifier of narrative thinking, rather as a pianist relishes playing Bach’s preludes and fugues as a sort of palate-cleansing discipline.”
It has now been revealed that the book will feature Pullman's 50 favourite tales including Rapunzel, Snow White and Cinderella, but also lesser known tales including The Three Snake Leaves, Hans-my-hedgehog, and Godfather Death. Pullman has said his favourite Grimm Tale is The Juniper Tree. The book will also include analysis of each tale, and an introduction discussing the legacy of Grimms' Fairy Tales and no doubt the influence they have had on Philip Pullman's own writing.