These two collections of fairy tales are quite different – which is good, since you may not all have the same taste! 
Michael Hague’s Treasured Classics
told & illustrated by Michael Hague
Chronicle Books
ISBN: 978 0 8118 4904 3
Michael Hague has been illustrating classics for kids for ages, now, and has put together some gorgeous collections. His Hans Christian Andersen collection was one of my prized possessions as a kid (yes, I always was a bookworm). In this new one, he sticks to the tried and true – the very classic, well-known tales that parents will most want to share and that children ought to know.
The illustrations are lovely, though I have to admit hague’s newer technique of digitally painting over pencil drawings does not create quite the same effect as his earlier paintings, which were truly gorgeous. It’s a pretty book, though, and sure to be a winner.
On the whole, it’s a very traditional prettily-illustrated, well-chosen collection, and contains a hefty fourteen tales, all told. This would make a wonderful gift, or a nice way to put a good solid core of fairy tales into your collection at once.
My Favourite Fairy Tales
by Tony Ross
Andersen Press
ISBN: 978 1 84270 980 1
On the other side of things is Tony Ross’ collection of his favourite fairy tales. now Tony Ross is best known for his Little Princess books, so you have to expect some silly-ish illustrations and a strong English accent to his tales, which are both delivered in spades.
This is a shorter collection, with only seven tales, but even more interesting is that only a few of them will be familiar to your average North American reader. I like having something new and different to read, so I’m quite pleased with that, but if you are shooting for a basic set of well-known tales, this won’t be the collection for you.
Ross tells his tales more simply than Hague, his language not so close to the traditional fairy tale, but it is a nice, clear telling that speaks directly to kids. His illustrations, too, are more fun and quirky thank pretty, which will suit some children better, and delight those who prefer to be amused rather than impressed. I really quite like this one, and can’t wait to share some of these unfamiliar stories with my kids, who have heard most of the good old standards from me already.