Jacob Grimm was born in Hanau, Germany, on January 4, 1785. His brother, Wilhelm Grimm, arrived 14 months later, on February 24, 1786. Their father died in 1796, and the brothers lived with very little money. Still, they were able to attend the University of Marburg, where they grew to love language and literature.

In 1808, they began working as librarians and started researching old folktales. They didn’t create the fairy tales for which they are famous, but they gathered the stories through archives and by listening to storytellers.

In 1812, they published their collection of stories as Kinder und Hausmarchen (or Children’s and Household Tales). The first edition was considered too violent, so the brothers released an edition that was much less gory.

They went on to publish Danish, Irish, and Norse folktales, and they spent years working on a German Dictionary before their deaths. Wilhelm passed away in 1859, and Jacob died in 1863.

Ryan Jacobson is an award-winning author and presenter. He has written more than 60 titles―from comic books to Choose Your Path adventures. Ryan prides himself on writing high-interest books for children and adults alike, so he can talk picture books in kindergarten, ghost stories in high school, and other fun stuff in between. His most popular titles include the Constellations Activity Book, Can You Survive the Call of the Wild?, and Up Where the Stars Are.

Ryan greatly enjoys sharing his knowledge of writing and book publishing at schools and special events. When he isn’t working on books, Ryan likes to build LEGO sets, play board games, and try new restaurants. He lives in eastern Minnesota with his wife and two sons.

Once Upon a Time

Rapunzel

Tom Thumb

Briar Rose

Little Snow-White

Hansel and Gretel

Little Red-Cap

Rumpelstiltskin

The Frog-Prince

Cinderella

STEM Activity: The Tallest Tower

About the Authors