Stephen King and the Late Maurice Sendak Join Forces for ‘Hansel and Gretel’ Picture Book

The classic tale of Hansel and Gretel gets reimagined by literary titans Stephen King and the late Maurice Sendak in a brand new picture book from HarperCollins Publishers.

The Brothers Grimm fairytale has been retold by bestselling author Stephen King, with previously created artwork by the creator of Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak.

HarperCollins clarifies, “Sendak’s illustrations were originally created as set and costume designs for the Humperdinck opera of Hansel and Gretel in 1997. This new edition of Hansel and Gretel will be published in the US by HarperCollins Children’s Books and in the UK by Hodder Children’s Books, part of Hachette Children’s Group, on September 2, 2025.”

Hansel and Gretel brings together two creative legends, each unparalleled in their genius and influence shaping the literary landscape for kids and adults alike for more than sixty years. In this book, Stephen King brings his signature voice to the classic fairytale of two brave children lost in an eerie and dangerous forest. Sendak’s hauntingly beautiful illustrations on every page draw readers into the deliciously daring world of Hansel and Gretel.

With a personal introduction from Stephen King, this beautiful book has been created in close collaboration with The Maurice Sendak Foundation.

“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,” said Stephen King. “When I saw the pictures themselves, I resolved to give it a try.”

King’s statement continues, “Two of his pictures in particular spoke to me: One was of the wicked witch on her broom with a bag of kidnapped children riding behind her; the other was of the infamous candy house becoming a terrible face. I thought, this is what the house really looks like, a devil sick with sin, and it only shows that face when the kids turn their backs. 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. In a way, I have been writing about kids like Hansel and Gretel for much of my life.”

“Hansel and Gretel is the literary event of the year, a timely and timeless dialogue between Mr. Sendak, Mr. King, and Brothers Grimm that transcends time, space, and even death,” said Nancy Inteli, vice president and publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Check out the cover art and another interior illustration from Sendak below.