Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde: The Happy Prince

Beautiful lyrical prose of Wilde gorgeously rendered by one of comic art’s masters
 
Arguably the most famous and beloved of Oscar Wilde’s nine fairy tales, this particular rendition stands apart from the others due to its brilliant illustrations by a master of comic art. After dying young, the Happy Prince’s soul inhabits a beautiful ruby-encrusted statue covered in gold leaf which is perched high above the city. But when he sees the poverty, misery and desperateness of his people, he enlists the help of a barn swallow to remove the gilding of his statue and shower the riches on his people. In the spring, the townspeople are saved, but find only a stripped down and dull statue alongside a dead swallow. The remains are tossed into an ash heap, but an emissary of God recognizes their sacrifice, and escorts them into the gardens of Heaven. Perfect for middle school students as an introduction to the world-famous author, the dazzling illustrations in this book suit the timeless writings of Wilde.

“Russell’s sensitive, Belle Époque–inspired artwork brings the story to life with a matched sensibility that makes other comics adaptations look clumsy.”  —Publishers Weekly starred review

“Skillfully using perspective, angle, and shadow, Russell portrays the emotions and humanity of the happy prince while never letting readers forget that he is a statue. A lovely adaptation.”  —School Library Journal

“Smartly adapted by master craftsman Russell. Conveyed with great heart.”  —Richard Pachter, Miami Herald

Oscar Wilde was a playwright, essayist, and novelist. He was the author of The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray. P. Craig Russell is the author of several comics, and has adapted other fairy tales written by Oscar Wilde, as well as operas composed by Wagner and Mozart. He has also collaborated frequently with Neil Gaiman on the Sandman series. He has won multiple Eisner, Harvey, and Parents’ Choice Awards. He lives in Kent, Ohio.