1988 first edition of Into the Woods, a children's picture book based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.

Written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Illustrated by Hudson Talbott. First edition, first printing, 1988. Crown Publishers, New York.

Part I

"Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, there lived a fair young maiden, a sad young lad, and a childless baker with his wife.

"The maiden, called Cinderella, wished more than anything, more than life, to go to the king's festival.

"The lad, named Jack, also had a wish. He wished, more than anything, more than life, more than riches, that his cow would give him some milk.

"The Baker and the Baker's Wife were wishing, too. They wished more than anything, more than life, more than riches, more than the moon, that they had a child."

Into the Woods is a musical by Steven Sondheim and James Lapine that intertwines the plots of several fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. The main characters are drawn from Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and others. The musical explores the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests, as well as the theme of responsibility. The musical debuted in San Diego in 1986 and premiered on Broadway in 1987. It has since been revived several times and adapted into a film in 2014.

Steven Sondheim and James Lapine are two of the most influential figures in American musical theatre. Sondheim is a composer and lyricist who has written some of the most acclaimed and innovative musicals of the 20th and 21st centuries, such as Company, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Assassins. Lapine is a director and playwright who has collaborated with Sondheim on several of his musicals, as well as creating his own original works, such as Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Act One. Together, they have won multiple Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and other honors for their artistic achievements and contributions to the theatre.

Hudson Talbott (1949 - ) is a renowned American author and illustrator of over 27 children's books, covering topics such as history, science, nature, and fantasy. Some of his most popular books include We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story, which was adapted into an animated film by Steven Spielberg; River of Dreams: The Story of the Hudson River, which was made into a musical by Frank Cuthbert; and A Walk in the Words, which celebrates the power of language. He has also collaborated with other acclaimed authors such as Stephen Sondheim, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jean Fritz. His books have received a Newbery Honor, an ALA Notable Book, and a VOYA Honor Book.

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Condition: Near Fine/Very Good. Dust jacket: Light edge wear; on the front, small closed tear at the top right corner. Gold-embossed blue cloth cover boards. Pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.