Familiar Tales, New Perspectives -- Retellings of Disney Stories

Disney stories are eternally popular.  We love the Disney versions, the original stories they are based on, and retellings with a twist.  This week, we're sharing some Disney stories told from a new perspective.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

Evil Thing by Serena Valentino

This graphic novel follows the rise and fall of the deranged and glamorous fan favorite, Cruella De Vil. If it doesn't scare you, no evil thing will....

Prince of Song & Sea by Linsey Miller

Prince Eric is cursed to die if he kisses someone other than his true love. Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.

Reflection by Elizabeth Lim

When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend.

More Retellings --

Broken Wish by Julie C. Dao

Dangerous Secrets by Mari Mancuso

Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Feather and Flame by Livia Blackburne

Fractured Path by J.C. Cervantes

Go the Distance by Jen Calonita

Prince of Thorns and Nightmares by Linsey Miller

Pure of Heart by Delilah S. Dawson

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault

Shattered Midnight by Dhonielle Clayton

So This Is Love by Elizabeth Lim

Straight on Till Morning by Stephanie Kate Strohm

What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell

Tales, Legends, and Myths Retold

Retellings of fairy tales, myths, and classic stories are always popular.  It's always fun to see a new twist on an old story.  This week, I'm sharing story retellings for teens.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

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.

Nameless: A Tale of Beauty and Madness by Lili St. Crow

Raised in luxury as the pampered, adopted heiress of Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven -- the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven -- Camille knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. Then she meets the mysterious Tor and begins to uncover the secrets of her birth.

William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace: Star Wars Part the First by Ian Doescher

A retelling of The Phantom menace in the style of Shakespeare, featuring a disguised queen, a young hero, and two fearless knights facing a hidden, vengeful enemy.

More Retellings --

96 Words for Love by Rachel Roy

Briarheart by Mercedes Lackey

Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett

Reflection: A Twisted Tale by Elizabeth Lim

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

These Violent Deaths by Chloe Gong

Thorn by Intisar Khanani

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

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.

Classics Retold

This week, I'm sharing teen books that are retellings of classics.  Here's a few of my favorites . . .

Abandon by Meg Cabot
A near-death experience, a horrible incident at school, and a move from Connecticut to Florida have turned seventeen-year-old Pierce's life upside-down, but when she needs him most John Hayden is always there, helping but reminding her of her visit to the Underworld.

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
As seventeen-year-old Jill Jekel and classmate Tristen Hyde work together on a chemistry project, hoping to win a scholarship for her and a cure for his curse, they also uncover family secrets and a chemistry of their own.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
In the midst of maneuverings to create political alliances through marriage, sixteen-year-old Poppy, one of the infamous twelve dancing princesses, becomes the target of a vengeful witch while Prince Christian tries to save her.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily receives special protections from the spiritual forces of Neverland, but then she meets her tribe's most dangerous enemy--Peter Pan--and falls in love with him.


More Classics --
Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Beast by Donna Jo Napoli
Black Spring by Alison Croggon
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett
Enter Three Witches by Caroline Cooney
The Fall by Bethany Griffin
Hunted by Megan Spooner
A Little in Love by Susan E. Fletcher
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard
Marly's Ghost by David Levithan
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Psyche in a Dress by Francesca Lia Block
Railsea by China Mieville
Ronit & Jamil by Pamela L. Laskin
Rook by Sharon Cameron
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters
Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis
Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee
When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through May 11, 2018.

Fable Comics edited by Chris Duffy

This collection of fables, familiar and unfamiliar, has been retold in graphic novel format.  While most of the fables are taken from Aesop, there are several from Middle Eastern, European, and Russian cultures.  Each fable has been retold and drawn as seen by the graphic novelist -- so some are strict retellings while others have been embellished and expanded.  This book, the third in a series including Nursery Rhyme Comics and Fairy Tale Comics, is a great book for kids, teens and adults.

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.

A New Twist on an Old Tale

I love retellings of famous stories.  I love seeing how an author can take a familiar story line and make it completely different with just a few changes.  Here are some of my favorite retellings for teens . . . .

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
As seventeen-year-old Jill Jekel and classmate Tristen Hyde work together on a chemistry project, hoping to win a scholarship for her and a cure for his curse, they also uncover family secrets and a chemistry of their own.
(Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)

Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Having moved to Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.
(Le Morte de Arthur)

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Cantor
When the father of high school sophomore, Lucy Norton, remarries, Lucy finds herself tormented by two bratty stepsisters and a wicked stepmother.
(Cinderella)

Psyche in a Dress by Francesca Lia Block
A young woman, Psyche, searches for her lost love and questions her true self in a modern retelling of Greek myths.
(Greek Myth of Psyche)


More Retellings for Teens --
Black Spring by Alison Croggon (Wuthering Heights)
Cloaked by Alex Flinn (The Princess and the Frog)
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (The Wizard of Oz)
Enter Three Witches by Caroline Cooney (MacBeth)
The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle (Beauty and the Beast)
The House of Dark Maids by Clare B. Dunkle (Wuthering Heights)
Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman (The Great Gatsby)
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd (The Island of Dr. Moreau)
Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron (Frankenstein)
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (The Masque of the Red Death)
A Midsummer Night's Scream by R.L. Stine (A Midsummer Night's Dream)
Pharoah's Daughter by Julius Lester (Moses)
Quiver by Stephanie Spinner (Myth of Atalanta)
Railsea by China Mieville (Moby Dick)
Roses by G.R. Mannering (Beauty and the Beast)
Shylock's Daughter by Miriam Pressler (The Merchant of Venice)
Something Rotten by Alan Gratz (Hamlet)
Splintered by A.G. Howard (Alice in Wonderland)
Street Love by Walter Dean Myers (Romeo and Juliet)
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (Frankenstein)
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (Peter Pan)


Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through April 3, 2015.

Classic Stories Retold

Today I'm going to share some teen books that retell classic stories . . .

Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.R. Hart
Describes the youthful adventures of J. M. Barrie's classic character, Captain Hook, from his days at Eton to his voyages on the high sea.

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor
When the father of high school sophomore, Lucy Norton, remarries, Lucy finds herself tormented by two bratty stepsisters and a wicked stepmother.

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel
When his twin brother falls ill in the family's chateau in the independent republic of Geneva in the eighteenth century, sixteen-year-old  Victor Frankenstein embarks on a dangerous and uncertain quest to create the forbidden Elixir of Life described in an ancient text in the family's secret Biblioteka Obscura.

Troy by Adele Geras
The last weeks of the Trojan War find the women sick of tending the wounded, men tired of fighting, and bored gods and goddesses trying to find ways to stir things up in this retelling of the Iliad.

Classics, Retold

I love retellings of classic stories.  It is always interesting to see how the author interprets the story and what new elements are added to the story.  Here are some teen retellings of classic books . . .

Breath by Donna Jo Napoli
Elaborates on the tale of "The Pied Piper," told from the point of view of a boy who is too ill to keep up when a piper spirits away the healthy children of a plague-ridden town after being cheated out of full payment for ridding Hameln of rats .

Enter Three Witches: A Story of Macbeth by Caroline Cooney
When her father betrays the Scottish king and is hung as a traitor, Lady Mary's future is bleak after she loses her only true protector and ends up locked away in the tower by the powerful and deadly Lord and Lady Macbeth.

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde
A collection of variations on the familiar story of a boastful miller and the daughter he claims can spin straw into gold.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily receives special protections from the spiritual forces of Neverland, but then she meets her tribe's most dangerous enemy--Peter Pan--and falls in love with him.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Will Scarlet shadows Robin Hood, with an unerring eye for finding treasures to steal and throwing daggers with deadly accuracy, but when Gisbourne, a ruthless bounty hunter, is hired by the sheriff to capture Robin and his band of thieves, Robin must become Will's protector risking his own life in the process.

Familiar Yet Strange . . .

I love reading retellings of famous stories and books.  I always find it interesting to see how an author can tell the same basic stories with a few major changes.  Try one of these retellings for teens . . .

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Retelling of Cinderella
Cinder, a gifted mechanic and a cyborg with a mysterious past, is blamed by her stepmother for her stepsister's illness while a deadly plague decimates the population of New Beijing, but when Cinder's life gets intertwined with Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle.

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
Retelling of Romeo and Juliet
Seventeen-year-old Vince's life is constantly complicated by the fact that he is the son of a powerful Mafia boss, a relationship that threatens to destroy his romance with the daughter of an FBI agent.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Retelling of Don Quixote
In an attempt to find a cure after being diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob's (aka mad cow) disease, Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen-year-old boy, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Retelling of Cinderella
In the midst of maneuverings to create political alliances through marriage, sixteen-year-old Poppy, one of the infamous twelve dancing princesses, becomes the target of a vengeful witch while Prince Christian tries to save her.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Retelling of King Arthur
Having moved to Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.

Taking from the Rich -- Giving to the Poor

From the heading of this post, you've probably figured out that I'm going to talk about Robin Hood.  Here are three great retellings for teens.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Will Scarlet shadows Robin Hood, with an unerring eye for finding treasures to steal and throwing daggers with deadly accuracy, but when Gisbourne, a ruthless bounty hunter, is hired by the sheriff to capture Robin and his band of thieves, Robin must become Will's protector risking his own life in the process.

Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood: A Graphic Novel by Tony Lee
In the depths of the forest, Robin raises an army to challenge the evil Sheriff. Wearing a dark hood for disguise and with his unparalleled gift for the bow, Robin quickly becomes an outlaw, fighting the forces of evil for the good of the poor.

Forbidden Forest: The Story of Little John and Robin Hood by Michael Cadnum
Profiles Little John, from his quiet life before joining Robin Hood through his adventures protecting a beautiful lady when she is wrongfully accused of murdering her husband.