Paul Zelinsky, a gifted illustrator, has crafted a unique vision of an age-old tale. Drawing on elements from early French and Italian sources as well as from the Grimms, he brings forth the humanity of ¿Rapunzel,¿ taking us beyond the events of the story to discover its powerful, enduring truths. His stunning full-color oil paintings evoke not a barren, forbidding tower, but one of beauty and physical luxury; not an ugly witch who cruelly imprisons a young girl, but a mother figure who powerfully resists her child¿s inevitable growth; and two young people who must struggle for the self-reliance that marks the beginning of adulthood. Resonant with the complex flow of human relationships, this book is a work of rare endeavor. Reinforced binding. Caldecott Medal winner.