What We're Reading Wednesday

Tales with a Twist

In the Children's Department, we currently have a display featuring a type of story called "fractured fairy tales" -- unusual spins on familiar stories.  This could mean anything from telling the story from different characters' point-of-view to using different characters to tell the same story.  Here's a list of just some of the great fractured fairy tales we have at Grafton-Midview Public Library.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

AR Level: 3
AR Points: .5

According to Mr. Alexander T. Wolf, you've got his story all wrong and he's here to set you straight!  He had no intention of blowing down those pigs' houses.  Can he help if his sneezes caused the poorly built houses to collapse?  You may start to sympathize with the Big Bad Wolf after reading this version of The Three Little Pigs!
Click here to reserve a library copy.

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox

AR Level: 2.7
AR Points: .5

Rapunzel is stuck in the tower and a prince has found her and wants to rescue her.  He calls out the famous line, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, throw down your hair!"  Rapunzel is just too far away to catch what the prince says.  So she throws down her underwear!  The prince keeps trying and Rapunzel keeps misunderstanding until she finally figures out what she thinks the prince wanted all along.

Click here to reserve a library copy.

Little Red: a Fizzingly Good Yarn by Lynn Roberts

AR Level: 4.4
AR Points: .5

In this Little Red Riding Hood retelling, it's a boy, not a girl, who is traveling to see his grandmother.  Every week he ventures through the forest to bring Grandma sweets and his family's famous ginger ale.  He knows not to venture off the path and the one time he does the wolf is right there to cause problems.  Little Red uses what he knows to help him out of a tough situation.

Click here to reserve a library copy.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

AR Level: 4.6
AR Points: 8

What if Cinderella, or Ella as she is known in this story, was cursed to obey every order given to her?  You can bet her stepmother and stepsisters take advantage of that and make Ella do whatever their hearts desire.  Ella makes it her mission to break the curse and live a much happier life.  Newbery Winner.
Check out the film version starring Anne Hathaway (but read the book first!).

Click here to reserve a library copy.

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

First in the Tale Dark & Grimm Trilogy

AR Level: 4.6
AR Points: 6

Hansel and Gretel become the heroes of this story as they find their way into other Brothers Grimm stories and provide assistance to other characters.  Fair warning from the author himself, “This is when things start to get, well . . . awesome. But in a horrible, bloody kind of way."

Other titles in the series: In a Glass Grimmly and A Grimm Conclusion
Click here to reserve a library copy.

Rump: the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

AR Level: 4.4
AR Points: 9

Rump's mother was only able to tell Rump part of his name before she died.  He is constantly teased -- the boys call him "Butt".  It isn't until he discovered that he can spin straw into gold that he feels his luck will change.  Rump ventures out to find out his whole name and change his fortune forever.
Click here to reserve a library copy.

Visit the Children's Department at GMPL to find even more fractured fairy tales.