And They Lived Happily Ever After . . . .

This week, we're sharing classic fairy tales, folk tales, and fables.  Here are a few of our favorites . . .

Golem by David Wisniewski
A saintly rabbi miraculously brings to life a clay giant who helps him watch over the Jews of sixteenth-century Prague.

Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth

Three hungry men charm a poor village into making enough soup to feed them all.

The Rabbit and the Turtle: Aesop's Fables by Eric Carle

Eleven fables from Aesop retold and illustrated by Eric Carle.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Joan Aiken

Retells the story of a princess who escapes her wicked stepmother by hiding out in the home of seven hospitable dwarfs.

More Books --

The Adventures of Robin Hood by Marcia Williams

Aesop's Fables by Beverley Naidoo

Cinderella by K.Y. Craft

Jack and the Beanstalk by Ann Keay Beneduce

Jump! The Adventures of Brer Rabbit by Van Dyke Parks

Little Book of Fables by Veronica Uribe

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Old Mother Hubbard by David Johnson

Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault

Sleeping Beauty by Mahlon F. Craft

Soap! Soap! Don't Forget the Soap! by Tom Birdseye

The Talking Eggs by Robert San Souci

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema

Step Into a Fairy Tale World

 Fairy Tales and fairy tale reimaginings are a popular genre of teen books.  Here are some of our favorites . . .

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
When Sunday Woodcutter, the youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week, kisses an enchanted frog, he transforms back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland--a man Sunday's family despises.

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede
Bored with her proper, circumscribed life as a princess, Cimorene runs away to join a powerful, fascinating dragon named Kazul and encounters a host of adventures along the way.

More Books --

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult

Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

Dragon Castle by Joseph Bruchac

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

The Seventh Raven by David Elliott

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Tithe by Holly Black

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Once Upon a Time . . . Fairy Tales Retold

 I love to read fairy tales -- especially if it is a new twist on an old favorite.  This week, I'm sharing some fairy tale retellings.  Here are a few of my favorites . . . .

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler
Zita, cast aside by her father and raised as a kitchen maid, learns when she is nearly twelve that she is a princess and that her twelve sisters love her, and so when she discovers they are victims of an evil enchantment, she desperately tries to save them. Inspired by the Grimm fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses."

The Cottage in the Woods by Katherine Coville

Presents the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" from the perspective of governess bear Ursula Brown, who worries about the mysterious sounds she hears at the Vaughn estate while falling for the imperious Mr. Bentley.

The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker

Annie, younger sister of the princess who would be known as Sleeping Beauty, is immune to magic and stays awake when the rest of the castle falls into an enchanted sleep, then sets out to find a way to break the spell.

More Fairy Tale Retellings --
Big Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale

Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine

Flight of the Swans by Sarah McGuire

Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Lisel Shurtliff

Leaping Beauty and Other Animal Fairy Tales by Gregory Maguire
Little Red Hoodie by Martha Freeman
Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler
Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli

Straw Into Gold: Fairy Tales Respun by Hilary McKay
A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gitwitz

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through May 29, 2021.

Twice Upon a Time . . . . Fairy Tale Retellings for Teens

 This week, I'm sharing fairy tale retellings for teens.  Here are a few of my favorites . . . .

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

When Sunday Woodcutter, the youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week, kisses an enchanted frog, he transforms back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland--a man Sunday's family despises.

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

A retelling of the tale of twelve princesses who wear out their shoes dancing every night, and of Galen, a former soldier now working in the king's gardens, who follows them in hopes of breaking the curse.

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

The author presents six alternative versions of the familiar story of a boastful miller and the daughter he claims can spin straw into gold.

More Fairy Tale Retellings --

Beast by Donna Jo Napoli

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A Curse So Dark and Lovely by Brigid Kemmerer

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

Dead Upon a Time by Elizabeth Poulson

East by Edith Pattou

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Once Upon a Dream by Lisa Braswell

The Princess and the Fangirl: A Geekerella Novel by Ashley Poston

Princess of Thorns by Stacy Jay

Rose & Thorn by Sarah Prineas

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Spindle by E.K. Johnston

Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

Towering by Alex Flinn

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through October 9, 2020.

Fairy Tales . . . With a Twist

The new Disney live-action Beauty and the Beast movie is coming out in a few weeks.  There has been a renaissance of fairy tale movies and books for kids lately.  Here are some of my favorite fairy tale stories for kids . . . .

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler
Zita, cast aside by her father and raised as a kitchen maid, learns when she is nearly twelve that she is a princess and that her twelve sisters love her, and so when she discovers they are victims of an evil enchantment, she desperately tries to save them.

Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine
In this humorous retelling of a Perrault tale, a lonely young farm lad uses his unusual inventive ability to pass a nearly impossible test and win the hand of the neighboring princess.

Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
Rather than marry a cruel king or a seemingly dim-witted prince, an enchanted goose girl endures imprisonment, capture by several ogresses, and other dangers, before learning exactly who she is.

Straw Into Gold by Gary D. Schmidt
Pursued by greedy villains, two boys on a quest to save innocent lives meet the banished queen whose son was stolen by Rumpelstiltskin eleven years earlier, and she provides much more than the answer they seek.

Frogged by Vivian Vande Velde
When almost-thirteen-year-old Princess Imogene is turned into a frog, she puts into practice lessons from the book, The Art of Being a Princess, as she tries to become her less-than-perfect self again.


More Fairy Tales --
Beauty and the Beast: The Only One Who Didn't Run Away by Wendy Mass
The Big, Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale
The Cottage in the Woods by Katherine Coville
Flunked by Jen Calonita
Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison
Jack and the Seven Deadly Giants by Sam Swope
Jack: The True Story of Jack & the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff
Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler
A Question of Magic by E.D. Baker
The Secret History of Tom Trueheart by Ian Beck
Sleeping Beauty's Daughters by Diane Zahler
The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale
Swan Sister: Fairy Tales Retold by Ellen Datlow
A True Princess by Diane Zahler

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through March 10, 2017.

Once Upon a Time . . . Fairy Tales for Teens

I love to read re-imaginings of fairy tales -- whether it is a strict retelling with more character development or a fractured tale.  Here are some of my favorite fairy tales for teens . . . .

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
When Sunday Woodcutter, the youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week, kisses an enchanted frog, he transforms back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland--a man Sunday's family despises.

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen
Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler.

Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
Based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, the story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Zel, her mother, and the prince, and delves into the psychological motivations of the characters.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.

Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst
Having escaped from the Wild and the preordained fairy tale plots it imposes, Rapunzel, along with her daughter Julie Marchen, tries to live a fairly normal life, but when the Wild breaks free and takes over their town, it is Julie who has to prevent everyone from being trapped in the events of a story.


More Fairy Tales for Teens --
Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen
Dark Shimmer by Donna Jo Napoli
The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley
East by Edith Pattou
The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman
Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses by Ronald Koertge
Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
Mira, Mirror by Mette Harrison
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Rose & Thorn by Sarah Prineas
Roses by G.R. Mannering
The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde
The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman
Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Toads & Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
Towering by Alex Flinn
The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through December 30, 2016.

Dearest by Alethea Kontis

Friday Woodcutter seems to be the least magical in her family of extraordinary siblings.  She is an apprentice seamstress that loves orphans.  But then she is swept up in an ocean that suddenly overtakes the land and taken to her sister Sunday's castle to help with the refugees.  She spends her time watching the children and taking care of the laundry.

Then one evening she discovers seven brothers sleeping in the highest tower of the castle.  She takes one look at Tristan and knows he is her destiny.  Only one problem . . . they are under a curse which turns them into swans during the day.  Will she be able to break the curse and save them from the man determined to capture and kill them?


This is the third book in the wonderful Woodcutter Sisters series.  Friday is a great heroine who continuously sees the best in people and works hard to keep the ones she loves safe.  Definitely go back and read the other two books in the series also.

Once Upon a Time . . .

Fairy Tales are popular stories for kids of all ages.  Here are some great picture book versions of fairy tales . . . .

1 2 3: A Child's First Counting Book by Alison Jay
A little girl awakens to scenes from fairy tales in which she can count familiar characters or objects from one to ten and back again.

The Ugly Duckling by Sebastian Braun
Though his mother loves him just the same as his siblings, a young duckling feels ugly because he looks and sounds different from the other ducks, but one day he discovers who he really is.

Princess by Anne Wilsdorf
A girl proves that she is a real princess in an unusual way.

A Catfish Tale by Whitney Stewart
When Cajun fisherman Jacques encounters a magical wish-granting catfish, his wife, Jolie, wishes for many things, including a paddleboat and the title of Mardi Gras queen.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe
Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife.


More Fairy Tale Books --
Beauty and the Beast by Max Eilenberg
Beware of Storybook Wolves by Lauren Child
The Brave Little Seamstress by  Mary Pope Osborne
Cinderella by Barbara McClintock
Cinderlily: A Floral Fairy Tale by David Ellwand
Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming
East of the Sun & West of the Moon by Mercer Mayer
The Elves and the Shoemaker by Jim LaMarche
The End by David LaRochelle
The Firebird by Jane Yolen
The Fully Belly Bowl by Jim Aylesworth
The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
Hansel and Gretel by Holly Hobbie
Iron John by Marianna Mayer
Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg
Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne
The Little Match Girl by Jerry Pinkney
Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elua
The Malachite Palace by Alma Flor Ada
The Nightingale by  Jerry Pinkney
One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice
The Princess Mouse by Aaron Shepard
The Red Wolf by Margaret Shannon
Rumpelstiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky
Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale
Thumbelina by Brian Pinkney
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Rachel Isadora
The Valiant Red Rooster by Eric A. Kimmel
The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-Be by Mini Grey
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book? by Lauren Child


Check out these and more fairy tale books on display at the Arnold Branch through December 4, 2015.

Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

Princess Petunia has been kidnapped!  Sort of . . .by accident.

Oliver, the leader of the Wolves of Westfalian Woods didn't mean to take her prisoner.  But she had seen his face.  He determines to make it right by delivering her safely to the estate of the Grand Duchess.

But is she really safe there?

It's been ten years since Princess Petunia and her sisters were cursed to dance away the night at the underground balls of the King Under the Stone.  Ten years of peace and tranquility.  But now the sisters are having horrible dreams of the "princes" and the ball once more.

Oliver will have to work together with the princesses, their husbands, and some powerful magicians to save the princesses from the King Under the Stone forever.


This was a great ending to the Princess Trilogy by Jessica Day George.  While it it not necessary to read the previous books before starting this one, it will greatly enhance the reading of the story.  The first book Princess of the Midnight Ball, a retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses", tells the story of the oldest princess Rose.  The second book Princess of Glass, a retelling of "Cinderella", tells of the story of the middle princess Poppy.  The third book Princess of the Silver Woods, a retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood", tells the story of the youngest princess Petunia.  Together, they are a wonderfully interwoven story with each book building upon the previous book.  These books would be great for teens who love fairy tales and romance with a touch of creepy evil.

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

Lorelei's new school is amazing.  The students get to decide whether to study what the teacher is teaching.  They can walk out of the classroom whenever they like.  They're fed two mouth-watering meals a day and given bowls of candy at their desks.  And the playground is every child's dream.

But there is something sinister going on at Splendid Academy!

Lorelei's teacher Ms. Morrigan seems to be fattening up the students with all the food she is forcing them to eat.  Lorelei and her new friend Andrew start to wonder if she is actually a witch who wants to eat the kids.

But that can't be true, can it?

Evil witches are only in fairy tales . . . .


This was a great fantasy / fairy tale story for kids in grade school.  The mix of the fairy tale witches working together is truly wicked.  A sinister story for those in a creepy mood.

Fairy Tales Retold

"Once upon a time . . . "
These is one of my favorite ways for a book to start.  I love fairy tales -- whether the original Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen or new tales.  Today I thought I would share some great retellings of fairy tales for kids . . .

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler
Zita, cast aside by her father and raised as a kitchen maid, learns when she is nearly twelve that she is a princess and that her twelve sisters love her, and so when she discovers they are victims of an evil enchantment, she desperately tries to save them. A retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses".

I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman
A little boy turns life in London upside down when he appears at the house of a lonely old couple and insists he was a rat.  A retelling of "Cinderella".

The Brixen Witch by Stacy DeKeyser
Twelve-year-old Rudi stumbles upon a witch's lair while out hunting, takes a gold coin he finds there but loses it again, then must deal with the witch's servant who promises to end the town's rat infestation only if he receives that gold coin.  A retelling of "The Pied Piper".

Ugly by Donna Jo Napoli
When the rest of the ducks turn on her little duckling, Ugly, because he isn't like them, Mother Duck sadly leaves him behind in order to protect her other children. With the help of some new friends, Ugly makes his way alone, but he doesn't know where he's going or what he's looking for.  A retelling of "The Ugly Duckling".

More Fairy Tale Retellings --
Beauty and the Beast: The One Who Didn't Run Away by Wendy Mass
Fairest by Gail Carson Levin (Snow White)
The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker (The Frog Prince)
Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli (Rumpelstiltskin)
Straw Into Gold by Gary D. Schmidt (Rumpelstiltskin)
A True Princess by Diane Zahler (The Princess and the Pea)

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal

Jeremy Johnson Johnson is left alone in his town because of the voice he hears in his head -- the ghost of fairy tale writer Jacob Grimm.  Very few people will even talk to Jeremy - one of the few being classmate Ginger.  But that isn't the only problem Jeremy has.  The bank is about to foreclose on his house as his father hasn't left the house in years to work.  Jeremy is further ostracized when Ginger convinces him to play a prank on the town baker.  And then he becomes the fixation of a man who has been kidnapping children from around the area.

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal was on several best book lists for the past year including YALSA's Best Books for Teens.  It was also a finalist for the National Book Award. 

It is a great mix of fairy tale, paranormal, suspense, mystery and romance.  It has an old-fashioned feel to the story as if it was taking place many years in the past yet is timely in its portrayal of a recession and bank foreclosures.  This is a great book for teens and adults who enjoy fairy tale retellings and mysteries.

Once Upon a Time . . .

I have always loved to read fairy tales.  The adventure, magic and romance combine together to make compelling stories.  Here are three of my favorite fairy tale novels for teens.

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen
Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.

Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
Based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, the story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Zel, her mother, and the prince, and delves into the psychological motivations of the characters.

Once Upon a Time . . .

I love to read fairy tales -- whether a classic version or an updated retelling.  One of my favorite series of humorous fairy tale retellings is Gail Carson Levine's "The Princess Tales".

For Biddle's Sake by Gail Carson Levine
A young maiden who has been transformed into a toad by a jealous fairy relies on her newly honed magical abilities to charm a prince into marriage.

The Fairy's Return by Gail Carson Levine
The good-natured son of a baker wins the heart of a princess, with the help of a fairy and a magic goose.

Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine
A lonely young farm lad uses his unusual inventive ability to pass a nearly impossible test and win the hand of the neighboring princess.

The Princess Test by Gail Carson Levine
Lorelei must pass many difficult tests in order to prove that she is a true princess and win the hand of Prince Nicholas.

Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine
Princess Sonora, who is ten times smarter than anyone else, vows to choose for herself the best time to be pricked by the spindle.

The Fairy's Mistake by Gail Carson Levine
The fairy Ethelinda rewards one twin sister for good behavior and punishes the other for bad, only to discover that her punishment is more pleasing than her reward.