Apparently, there’s nothing that authorStephen Kingcan’t do. From writing bestselling novels to making cameos in TV and movies, King is now narrating an audiobook of a classic Grimm fairytale that will see theCarriewriter put his own spin on a new “Hansel and Gretel” retelling. Even those who don’t listen to audiobooks, movie buffs, bookworms, and pop culture fanatics alike will have likely crossedStephen King’s name at least once on their media travels, emphasizing the impact the American author has had on the horror genre over the last five decades.
King is widely regarded as “the master ofhorror” after crafting over 60 published novels and more than 200 short stories, many of which have been given the cinematic treatment, includingThe Green Mile,The Mist, andThe Shawshank Redemption. King’s collection of literary masterpieces has earned him a high place in the list of authors who have had the most book-to-movie adaptations, only bested by Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare. Now, to add to his long list of endeavors throughout his illustrious career, which spans over 50 years, the King himself has turned to a project that isn’t one of his own books, with his voice being included in a spooky children’s book instead.
Stephen King To Narrate Hansel and Gretel Retelling
In a statement released viaAP, it was announced that Stephen King will be narrating an audiobook for HarperCollins and The Maurice Sendak Foundation in a retelling of the children’sclassic Grimm tale, “Hansel and Gretel.” King will be giving his voice and unique spin in his retelling of the story, which will fuse together the 1812 Brothers Grimm tale about a brother and sister who encounter an evil, cannibalistic witch after they become lost in a dark and scary forest.
Along with King’s audiobook, a “Hensel and Gretel” picture book will also be released, which will feature the illustrations of the late Maurice Sendak, who died in 2012. Sendak illustrated beloved children’s books that includeWhere the Wild Things Are, Chicken Soup with Rice, In the Night Kitchen,and many others.King said in a statement toPeoplethat he was drawn to making an audiobook of “Hansel and Gretel” because he was a fan of Sendak’s work. “When I was asked if I might be interested in writing a new interpretation of ‘Hansel and Gretel,’ bending it to fit (loosely) with set and costume designs Maurice Sendak had created for the Humperdinck opera of the story, I was interested,” King said. “When I saw the pictures themselves, I resolved to give it a try.”
“I wanted to write that! To me, it was the essence of this story and, really, all fairy tales: a sunny exterior, a dark and terrible center, brave and resourceful children,” he said. “In a way, I have been writing about kids like Hansel and Gretel for much of my life.”
King also said that he was particularly drawn to the witch in the story because she had a bagful of kidnapped children (make of that as you will) and also how the witch’s house turned into a cruel face, believing that this was the true face of the house unmasking itself when the children weren’t looking. Lynn Caponera, executive director of The Maurice Sendak Foundation, said, “Stephen King’s reading ofHansel and Gretelis captivating and thrilling, bringing new depth to this classic tale.” There’s no doubt that King will give this retelling his all, whilst including his thirst for the dark side with its own sinister spin since he knowshow to scare the living hell out of children (and adults) already with his own writings.
Hansel and Gretelwill be published on September 2, along with the release of the audiobook, in bookstores worldwide.
