Fairy Tale Mix Ups: Red Riding Hood Meets the Three Bears

Charlotte Guillain explores the idea of what happens when encounters with the Big Bad Wolf causes Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood not to follow their traditional story paths in her book Red Riding Hood Meets the Three Bears (Fairy Tale Mix-ups). This book ponders what might have happened if Red Riding Hood arrived at the Three Bears house mistaking it for her grandmother's house. Being a regular guest in someone else's home will she perhaps react differently to the bear's home than Goldilocks?

It is a bit disturbing that the wolf decides to head out after Goldilocks instead of Red Riding Hood and we are left wondering what happens to Goldilocks. Goldilocks is pretty tough, she destroyed the bear's home and walked away clean. So perhaps the wolf will wish he'd stuck with the original plan and gone after Red Riding Hood. If she ends up at Grandmas will Grandma be able to teach Goldilocks proper manners and behavior for visiting strangers?

This is a fairly simple story, but it actually can start some interesting conversations like the one above about what happened to Goldilocks. The author doesn't tell us, but it is a way to get students thinking about what the author doesn't tell us. The author doesn't tell us why Red Riding Hood behaves so differently than Goldilocks but it doesn't stop us from discussing why they acted so differently. Do you think there will be problems between the Three Bears and the Big Bad Wold in the future now that the Bear Family and Red Riding Hood have become friends?

It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk

What would happen if a fairy tale character revolted and refused to follow the traditional version of his tale? Josh Funk explores that idea in his picture book It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk when Jack and the narrator experience a battle for control of Jack's story.

I'm a huge fan of alternate fairy tales, but they have to be well written. I recently passed on reviewing a nursery rhyme alternate tale that I didn't feel lived up to a quality retelling of the story. This version is not only fun to read, but it also starts the conversation of why fairy tale characters don't question their paths more often. In this story it takes a while for Jack to get control of his own journey. At the beginning while he questions the narrorator's control, he still is forced into following the story. However, when Jack and the giant meet the two begin to question the path they are on and in talking to each other they find a new path, much to the frustration of the narrator who tries desperately to regain control of the story.

This was one of the better alternate fairy tale books I've read in a while and I think it would be a great way to encourage kids to discuss and even write their own alternate versions of fairy tales. Why couldn't more fairy tale characters revolt against their narrators and find new happier paths.

Snow White Was So Forgetful!

Seriously, Snow White Was SO Forgetful!: The Story of Snow White as Told by the Dwarves (The Other Side of the Story) is a retelling of the Snow White story from the dwarves' perspective. This story is different from the other series of the Other Side of the Story books in a couple of ways. First this book only has the alternate fairy tale, it doesn't include the original story for students to compare and contrast. Secondly, the narrator of the story is a friend, not someone who was in conflict with the character as is generally the case in most of the Other tales. The tales are generally written to give you the evil character's perspective on what happened. In this case that presents a little bit of a weakness for the story. The dwarves had no conflict with Snow White. They just found her forgetful and that created problems for her.

In order to get around the issue of not telling the story from the Evil Queen's perspective or for that matter the Prince's story which would also might provided more material for an alternate fairy tale, the author focuses on making Snow White into a hopeless figure who can't get out of her own way. To insure nobody assumes this is based on sexism, the Prince is equally forgetful and thus a match made.

On the plus side, this version strays from the Disney version back to the traditional Grimm's tale with the multiple visits from the Evil Queen attempting to kill Snow White. It also leaves out true love's kiss for the version where the apple is displaced when the coffin is dropped.

I think the author was shooting for the humor of some of the earlier series, but failed. Instead this seemed like a petty attack on Snow White.

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hoodis the third story in Liesl Shurtliff's True Fairy Tale series.

This tale takes a slightly different turn from the earlier books in the series, which completely reexamine the characters Rumpelstiltskin in Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin and Jack in Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk giving us entertaining new stories.

We have already met Red Riding Hood in previous adventures and in this novel she teams up with Goldie. There are two twists in this story, but not enough to make it as engaging as the previous two novels. Red and her Grandmother are witches, but Red is struggling to embrace her powers and has almost killed her grandmother trying to adapt. That is not in the original tale. The second is that the wolf and Red are friends, he risks his life to save hers. Again this moves it away from the original, but not enough to make it interesting. These just aren't as the same kinds of bold changes made in the the previous novels that made them quick reads.

The crisis that moves the plot is Red's Grandmother is dying. Not able to face losing her, Red finally is compelled to consider magic as a solution to keeping her grandmother alive. However, as she and Goldie set out to find something to save her Grandmother she finds that kind of magic always has a hidden cost. The outcome is rarely what one hopes for and generally provides less than ideal results.

Along the path she meets people who help her come to terms the reality that her quest is not one that will benefit her Grandmother. A turning point comes when she discovers what the cost was for Beauty when she sought to stay young forever. On her return from that encounter she meets someone that has turned even darker pursuing eternal life and is only saved when she can fully embrace her own magic and stop fearing death.

This is an interesting tale, but not quite up to the standards set in the first two novels of the series. There are so many possibilities for an alternate story of Red's life. This one seemed a bit lacking.

Flunked

If you're interested in Fairy Tale characters finding their happily ever after Jen Catonita's Fairy Tale Reform School might be worth a read. In the first novel, Flunked we learn the fate of Cinderella's evil stepmother. It appears Cinderella's marriage was a wake up call for Flora, Cinderella's stepmother and after reforming herself, she has gathered together other reformed villains and started a school to help young future villian fairy tale characters have a chance to reform.

In the beginning of the story we meet Gilly, the daughter of the woman in the shoe. Her starving siblings have driven her to stealing and after her latest encounter with the law, she is sentenced to Fairy Tale Reform School. I've always been amazed how many boarding schools exist in fantasy literature. While it serves as a practical setting for isolating students from parents and home life, as an American it isn't a common education option for most students. However, despite the fact that most students have never attended boarding school, they still seem to enjoy stories where characters attend one.

I had looked into this series for someone who is a fan of the Ever After High series, but had read everything available from the TV series. This series has some of the charm of alternate stories for the fairy tale characters. While a thief, Gilly proves herself to be a good friend to several of the other students sentenced to the school.

The plan for the story was an interesting one. The school is under threat from a returning villain. The execution could have been a bit stronger. Ironically, I usually see character development sacrificed to plot. In this case, there was some surprisingly good character development and interaction. The plot just needed to be a little tighter to make it work. Perhaps I've been spoiled by some great children's fantasy writers, but it is possible to write creative plots that are strong in execution and ideas.

I'm going to read the next book to see how the story progresses and see if the series grows and if the potential plot lines deliver on the potential.

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk is the second book in Liesl Shurtliff's Fairy Tale series.

This book changes the premise of the story. The reader is presented with the idea that giants aren't giants, but instead that Jack is an elf. Just by changing premise of the story, the actions of all the characters from the traditional tale tilt. This book opens up the universe from the previous novel Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskinbut keeps connects the stories characters consistently.

The author has upended the whole concept of the Jack stories as she did with Rump. Jack is still a mischievous child. However, he also shows a good deal more responsibility and remorse for his action in this story than he does in the traditional tales. The author sets up Jack for a different experience however. In the traditional tale, Jack's father is dead and he is struggling to help his mother keep the family going. In this story Jack's family is intact. His father is his role model and defender. Jack's father tells him stories of his Grandfather the giant killer filling his son's desire for adventure. He also is the one who reminds the mother character that a boy's high energy is natural not a sign of evil. When the giants attack and his father goes missing, this triggers Jack's trade of the cow for the magic beans that will allow him to go to the land of the giants to rescue his father. It was a small, but interesting twist to the story.

In this version Jack discovers the giants have an ecological disaster on their hands due to an overuse of magic. They have been raiding Jack's world for food as their own land has been cursed and will no longer grow. However, do to the small size of the animals and the food, they require the use of elves to help them to milk the smaller cows and to help out with tasks too small for the giants to manage.

Those who have read Rump, will soon understand who the giants really are and also understand how this problem got so bad for the kingdom. Jack's is able to help both worlds reach a satisfactory conclusion to the problem.

My criticism of the book is similar to the first novel. Jack is a much rounder character than we find in most of the traditional tales. Even some of the supporting characters are deeper than one might expect. However the villains are still not as well balanced as they could be and remain flat.

Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin

I love finding fractured fairy tales and sharing them with others. I found that in a new series from Liesl Shurtliff and the first book is Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin.

This is a series of chapter books that creates a universe of fairy tales characters that interact with one another based on versions of each character's tale. I've finished the first two of the series and glanced at the third enough to know the characters do cross over and the story does stay intact from one to the next. However, for those of you interested in using just one with a specific unit it is possible to read them as stand alone novels. You just lose a little bit of the character and plot background as the second and third novels do bring in knowledge from the previous novels.

However, this is the first chapter book in the series and I think she does a great job at giving an alternate story for Rumpelstiltskin. In the original tale, Rumpelstiltskin is generally written as an old trickster. In this novel we start with Rump's birth and thus the problem with his names. Just like in the original tale, names have power. However, in this version Rump's mother dies before pronouncing his complete name leaving him with not only an embarrassing name, but also an issue with his identity. He lacks a certain amount of personal and eventually magic power without his complete name.

The story that is most familiar occurs when Rumple is an older character. This book is written when Rump is a child. The author introduces us to Rump and the setting that will be at the heart of the series. We also quickly meet Red of Red Riding Hood fame. She later gets her own book as the series continues to a third book. Adding and mixing characters from different fairy tale stories can be done well or just clutter the story. In this case the author has created an interesting relationship between Red and Rump. Her addition to the story isn't placed just to check off a box that we've mixed fairy tale stories, she and Rump have a real purpose and a believable history established. The author does a good job creating round characters out of both Rump and Red. Ironically where Rumple is often a villain of the story, here he becomes a rounded hero. Sadly, however, while reforming Rumple and making him a fuller, more developed character, my biggest disappointment is the villains are still flat and underwritten. That is one thing that would make this series stronger.

By changing Rump into a younger character, much of the story is more easily justified. Rump didn't understand the magic that he was working with and only with time understands the consequences and rules that govern magic. The gold he spins does not come without a price as he discovers from learning the history of his mother from whom his talent was passed to him.

I was curious as to how the author was going to handle the situation with the Queen's child and it was an interesting and creative solution to how the queen gets her child back and how Rump finally discovers not only his name, but the power of his magic and his own life.

As always I recommend teachers and parents review anything before turning it over to their children.

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

In my quest to find new fairy tale versions I discovered The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell a new series, which I didn't realize until I started researching a sequel is written by a Glee star.

The book starts as many time travel or alternate adventure stories for children do, you must take characters from one place and take them to another. In this version those characters are fraternal twins Alex and Connor Bailey. Both children are recovering from the loss of their father and the emotional and financial upheavals that loss has created.

Alex is the stereotypical smart girl with her hand always in the air waiting for the teacher to call on her. Connor struggles more with school and misses the father who helped him make sense of his life with stories and lots of patience. Early in the story, we realize the twins are struggling not only with the loss of their father, but in many ways with the loss of their mother who now works constantly to support them.

The children's teacher at school is doing a unit on traditional fairy tales. I was curious about the teacher and thought she might have a larger role in the story. While many schools do teach units on traditional tales at this age, this teacher seemed to be very focused on having the Bailey children understand the meaning behind the stories. After reading the book, I'm left wondering if this was a false lead or if this will come up later.

As with many of these travel books, the mode of travel always seems awkward to me. This one is a common tool used in fantasy travel. However, I am not sure there is a believable way to travel to another dimension. Therefore, I think the awkwardness is rather expected.

For an audience exposed to the TV show Once Upon a Time this provides some interesting alternate back stories and alternate answers to the questions about the fairy tale realm. What happens after happily ever after? Who are the princes in the stories? What happened to Snow Whites stepmother to make her so mean?

There are some interesting political and romantic issues to resolve, too. In this land, the Happy Ever After Assembly is created from of stories Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Red Riding Hood is also a member as the only elected Queen. There are other areas not ruled by fairy tale Queens, the Dwarf Forest, The Elf Empire, and The Troll and Goblin Territory. However, even here readers will discover familiar names. We discover that Goldilocks has been set up and her boyfriend is a hero from another fairy tale. Her betrayer is not the typical evil suspect you might expect. As their teacher was trying to explain, fairy tales teach a great deal about the human condition.

The children discover there is a magic spell that will grant any wish. It can only be used twice and it has already been used once. A good portion of the story revolves around the journey they take to find the items they need to cast the spell, allowing them to interact with a variety of fairy tale characters and story lines. The children have a journal from the first person to follow the quest and it was this that led me to guess the outcome of the story.

The end of the quest was a bit different than I expected. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, the children do find a way home, but there is a twist. I rather expected this answer when the children started reading the journal.

This was a good start to the series. I heard that the next one will be out in August. If the second one is as good, the books will be headed off to a couple of Christmas trees this year.

Tell the Truth B.B. Wolf

Tell the Truth, B.B. Wolfis the second of the B.B. Wolf stories by Judy Sierra.

While working at Saturday fix up day at the Villain Villa, the Big Bad Wolf is invited by the local librarian to come to the library and tell his side of the incident with the Three Little Pigs. His friends at the Villain Villa suggest he spin his involvement in the story. After all everyone likes a happy ending.

He starts his story with a song and comes up with some creative stories about how the houses came to be blown down. It turns out this is not really an open time for the wolf to tell his story. This is more of an intervention designed to make the wolf take responsibility for his actions. Pinocchio tells him his nose is growing longer and other fairy tale characters demand he tell the truth regarding his actions. The wolf finds it impossible to apologize with words, but does sing an apology. He also decides to change his middle name to Big Bodacious Benevolent Bookish Wolf.

With the help of his friends at Villain Villa, he redesigns the Pig's home as penance for his previous bad actions against them. Peace is created between Pigs and Wolf.