Fairy Tales Redux

Originally, adults were the intended audience for fairy tales. In modern times, fairy tales were altered so they could be read to children. Happy endings were added to the bleak stories as not to frighten children. Fairy tales were meant to make us think, and even with happy endings they make us question our codes of conduct and re-examine our choices. Today's retold tales do so by looking at old stories in new ways. So, roll up your sleeves, check out a good book, and prepare to do some thinking while you are entertained.


Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Gregory Maguire
Set in an Oz where a gloomy Wizard battles suicidal thoughts, the story of the green-skinned Elphaba, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West, profiles her as an animal rights activist determined to avenge her dear sister's death. A magical retelling of the Land of Oz before and up to the arrival of Dorothy and crew. If you enjoyed the Hobbit you will like Wicked. (Award winner: YALSA- Outstanding Books for the College Bound 2009)

White as Snow
Tanith Lee
In a dark fantasy based on the fairy tale "Snow White," Arpazia and her unwanted daughter, Coira, are lured into the woods by the elder gods, who are seeking to restore their worship in a land where a new religion threatens to change life for everyone. A new take on an old tale will engage fans of dark fantasy.

Snow Child
Eowyn Ivey
Childless couples working a farm in the brutal landscape of 1920 Alaska discovers a little girl living in the wilderness, with a red fox as a companion. They begin to love the strange, almost-supernatural child as their own. A wonderful retelling of the Russian fairy tale about a girl, made from snow by a childless couple, who come to life.

Briar Rose
Jane Yolen
Becca's grandmother tells her that she is a princess, and after her death, Becca investigates her grandmother's mementos and discovers her disturbing teenage years, including survival of the horrors of the Holocaust. Winter Rose Two sisters, one fragile and levelheaded, one rough-hewn and sensual, fall in love with an aristocrat who returns to claim his family's abandoned estate, only to fall victim to the curse of his celebrated grandfather. (Award Winner: YASLA Outstanding Books for the College Bound 1999, YASLA 100 Best Books (1950-2000)

Once upon a summer day
Dennis L. McKiernan
Borel, Prince of the Winterwood, embarks on a terrifying journey through the land of Faery toward a conflict with the dark forces of evil, drawn by his all-too-real dreams of a beautiful young woman in horrible danger.

When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Eloisa James
Linnet Berry Thynne thinks that she will easily be able to make her fiancée, Piers Yelverton, the Earl of Marchant, who is rumored to be impervious to the womanly charms, fall in love with her, but she loses her heart to him instead. James skillfully fashions a fairy-tale-perfect-romance. Readers will be clambering for more. (Award Winner: Library Journal Best Romance Books 2011)

Jack, the Giant-Killer
Charles De LintJack goes searching for giants to kill and it is impossible for him to fail, especially with the help of The Cloak of Darkness, The Cap of Wisdom, The Shoes of Speed, and The Sword of Sharpness. A contemporary retelling of “Jack and the Bean Stalk” set in Ottawa. (Award Winner: Prix Aurora Award: Best English Long Form 1988)


The Snow Queen’s Shadow
Jim C. Hines
When Snow White's enchanted mirror is shattered by a spell gone wrong, unleashing a demon that shows people only ugliness and hate, Snow White becomes the first person to fall under the demon's power. Hines expertly mixes action and adventure with romance, which should satisfy fans of Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault.