A Collective Effort

When a task presents itself to an individual; a mental assessment begins.  A list of essential endeavors is made.  Dependent on the nature of the work, tools might be necessary.  One of the hardest decisions is whether this undertaking can be completed alone or if help is vital to success.  

One of the older folktales with animal characters in which one is seeking assistance from others is The Little Red Hen. She asks multiple times, at various stages in her project, for help, but none is given.  It is only when she is completely done, affirmative replies are offered in response to her final request.  It is too late.  A lively, recent variant on this classic story is The Little Green Hen (Candlewick Press, March 19, 2019) written and illustrated by Alison Murray.  This hen's interest is not in the culinary arts.

Once, on top of a hill,

grew a beautiful, old, and

very fruitful

apple tree.

There was a hollow in the trunk of this tree where a little green hen resided.  She tended this apple tree.  She pruned, practiced pest control and planted.  When the apple seeds she planted turned into saplings, she needed help.  Her single apple tree was now part of an orchard.

For pruning she sought assistance from Peacock.  He said no, but Dog said yes.  Dogs and sticks go together very well.  Fox refused pest control duty, but the smallest of brown sparrows agreed.  There were still plenty of seeds to plant.  A ginger cat who preferred sleeping was not an option.  Squirrel offered his digging and concealing skills.

This foursome worked through three seasons, spring, summer and fall.  They shared in the abundance the orchard provided them.  They happily lived in the hollow of the apple tree trunk.  Then the rains came. It kept on raining.  The Little Green Hen, Dog, the smallest of brown sparrows and Squirrel stayed snug and dry, but Peacock, Fox and Cat were in trouble.  

They were all on Cat's lounging log floating in the flood.  They soon spotted the apple tree with hope in their hearts.  This hen was no ordinary hen.  She had hope in her heart, too.  Some visions for a future are best realized together.

With one word, once, Alison Murray has us gathered around to listen to the tale she will tell.  We know the outcome will be different.  There is an apple tree and the hen is green.  Alison Murray uses the storyteller's three enumerating the hen's tasks of pruning, pest control and planting. 

The first splendid switch comes when the hen asks for help, and a negative reply is countered with a positive response three times.  Alison Murray enhances the story by giving reasons for each character's answers; the peacock is preening, the fox would rather eat the Little Green Hen and the smallest of brown sparrows 

was partial to pesky bugs.

The second switch is the flood, the Little Red Hen's answer to a request for help and the change in attitude of Peacock, Fox and Cat.  It is through the flood and the Little Green Hen's tasks that Alison Murray invites readers to speculate about our environment and to see ourselves as caretakers.  Here is a passage.

"And who will help me sow the apple seeds?"

"Not I," said the fat ginger cat,

who was far too busy lounging

on a log in the sun. 

The vibrant, eye-catching color combinations on the open and matching dust jacket and book case are true attention-grabbers.  The brilliant shades of green and blue with red and spots of pink and orange on the front along with the happy expression on the Little Green Hen's face ask readers to open the case.  The hues on the front continue on the spine blending with the image to the left, on the back.

Here the four friends, the Little Green Hen, Dog, Squirrel and the smallest of brown sparrows are gathered in the hollow of the apple tree trunk.  One pesky pest is with them, too.  They are all looking to the left in surprise.  A sky-blue background is showing on the left and peeking through leaves above the companions.  The color of the apple tree trunk is in shades of purple and brown.

On the opening and closing endpapers Alison Murray has placed a beautiful green and cream pattern which is similar to the whorls seen in tree bark.  On the initial title page, the Little Green Hen has her beak around the stem of a large apple.  The title text is inside the apple.  This is a close-up.  On the more formal title and verso pages green leaves and apple blossoms on the left and the Little Green Hen seated on a branch near a large apple on the right give readers a larger view.

Each image digitally rendered conveys a can-do and uplifting atmosphere.  The placement of the elements, the bold lines and color choices work together to accomplish this wonderfully.  Some of the illustrations span two pages, single pages or are grouped two to a page.  The layout and design are marvelous.  To show the passage of the three seasons, two pages are divided with three vertical panels.

There is never any doubt as to the emotional status of the characters.  This is conveyed mainly through the eyes; a lifting or lowering of eyebrows, closed eyes, wide, happy eyes or worried looks.  This brings readers directly into the narrative.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is the two pages with the three vertical seasonal panels.  In the first one, on the left, against a pale blue sky is the top of the apple tree at the bottom.  Sitting in the blossoming branches is the sparrow chasing away a pesky pest.  In the center is the tree standing tall and covered in green apples on a lighter green canvas with the Little Green Hen tending to a sapling.  On the right against a pale red background is the apple tree at the top with Dog leaning against the tree and apples in a basket near him.  At the bottom in the top of the apple tree is Squirrel happily reaching for an apple.  Has Squirrel been tossing apples into the basket?

For a folktale or fable theme, for a unit on variants, for attention directed toward stewardship and ecology or for the wonder of a fantastic story, The Little Green Hen written and illustrated by Alison Murray is an excellent choice.  The blend of images and words is exemplary.  Whether read one-on-one or with a group, you will be requested to read it again.  You can pair it with The Little Red Pen in a fractured study.  Alison Murray has also retold other tales; Hare and Tortoise and Dino Duckling.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Alison Murray and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Alison Murray has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

No One Asked Me!

If there was ever a library so large people could literally get lost in there for hours or maybe even days, it would be wise to head to one section and one section only.  Hopeful of finding the nonfiction books and then carefully following the numerical order on the spines, you should seek the 398.2 titles.  Within folklore, fairy tales specifically, we can usually find our way home.  Those stories entertain and educate us, as well as guide us to where happily ever after is possible.

Each variant on those original narratives enlarges our thinking about alternate and creative paths leading to the same ending.  It's Not Jack And The Beanstalk (Two Lions, September 19, 2017) written by Josh Funk with illustrations by Edwardian Taylor takes an entirely new approach.  What if the characters rebel against the status quo?






Once upon a time, Jack lived in a tiny cottage in a dreary village.  He always dreamed that someday he would find his fortune.

Psst!  Jack!  Wake up!

No-o-o-o.
I'm dreaming...

And put on some pants!

As the well-known events continue Jack needs to sell the cow, his only possession.  Since this is no ordinary fairy tale, Jack objects.  Bessie Cowpoke McPinwheel just happens to be Jack's BFF.  He's even more upset to find out she's only worth five beans.  Five beans!?

When their so-called magical qualities fail to function, he tosses them out the window after he's told he can't even eat one.  (The poor lad is operating on an empty stomach.)  Every time the unseen narrator moves forward in the action, Jack fails to comply without a grumble and a gripe.  The next morning he is elated he did not eat a bean considering what grew overnight.  He is also flabbergasted he has to climb it.  (Who wrote this story anyway?)

With every phrase uttered by the narrator, Jack is increasingly belligerent.  He's not tired from scaling the stalk plus he spies Cinderella's castle on his way up.  An invitation is issued but the now equally frustrated voice reading the story urges him in no uncertain terms to keep going.  Upon his arrival at the giant's home, an imminent clash ensues.

It's a blend of traditional and (cue Getting To Know You sung by Julie Andrews) exceedingly friendly conversation between a captured Jack and the giant.  A rip roaring argument escalates between Jack and the giant (Fred) and the reader.  If you can manage to stop laughing the conclusions, all of them, are exactly as they should be.  The End.  Maybe.


With every sentence read silently or aloud written by Josh Funk, you feel the urge to share this book.  The snappy asides by the reader/narrator as part of the story text and Jack's comments provide an abundance of humor.  As the story and alternate story unfold you can't help but wonder why more characters have not objected before Jack and Fred, the giant.

Another technique adding to the comedic effect is the use of modern phrases,

You're joking, right?
SERIOUSLY?       
Spoiler alert.

The flow between the known narrative, the reader's statements, and Jack's and the giant's observations is seamless on the individual pages and as it resumes on the following pages.  There is not a skipped beat in the cadence.  Here is a sample passage.

Everything inside the house was tremendously large.

Spoiler alert:
A giant lives here. Can I go home now?

Suddenly, Jack heard a booming voice---

FEE-FI-FO-FUM,
I SMELL THE
BLOOD OF AN
ENGLISHMAN.

Umm, that 
doesn't even 
rhyme.  How about:
Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I can see the 
giant's bum?


Upon opening the exuberant, colorful dust jacket readers are treated to two views of the skyward climb up the beanstalk.  Although our focus is drawn to the main character in each image, the two blend together nicely across the spine.  The title text carved into a sign reflects the old world quality of the tale but the two painted words make it clear this will be no normal rendition of the story.  To the left, on the back, framed in stalks and leaves, the giant's harp is singing out a fun challenge for readers.  Two birds are watching her from above as ladybugs rest on a leaf.  Bean blossoms are seen throughout the illustrations. (I am working from an F & G so I don't know if the book case is the same.)

On the opening and closing endpapers is a pattern featuring leaves, beans, Jack's backpack, his rope and ax, the magic beans, the magic bean bag, a compass, tiny blue gloves, boots, a framed picture of Bessie, tortilla chips and Jack's hat.  These items are placed on a crisp white background.  Across the verso and title pages a night scene with Jack and Bessie out and about amid fireflies is full of cheer and friendship.

Rendered digitally by Edwardian Taylor the pictures vary in size from two page spans to single page illustrations and to smaller images set in larger ones.  His shifting perspectives enhance the hilarity of this variation.  His exaggerated facial expressions with the wide-eyed looks leave no doubt as to the current emotional state of the characters.

Careful readers will note familiar individuals even without reading the invitation on the back of the dust jacket.  This draws attention to the details Edwardian Taylor includes in each picture.  You pause to look because you don't want to miss any nuance he places in his pictures.

One of my many favorite illustrations is spread across two pages. The giant's face covers nearly every bit of space, edge to edge.  His nose is meticulously aligned in the gutter.  His mouth is open in anger.  His fingertips grip the table edge.  To the left of the picture a small human Jack, standing on the table with his arm, hand and finger raised to make a point, eyes closed, is stating a couple of facts, seemingly unconcerned with the trouble he is facing.


As soon as you begin It's Not Jack And The Beanstalk written by Josh Funk with illustrations by Edwardian Taylor you can already hear the laughter of readers and listeners.  The very idea of characters objecting to the story line is funny enough but the chosen words and energetic pictures created by these two collaborators elevate the hilarity.  You will most definitely want to place this title on your 398.2 professional shelves and add it to your personal fairy tale collections at home.

To discover more about Josh Funk and Edwardian Taylor and their other work please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Edwardian Taylor also has a Tumblr account.  The cover was revealed on Mile High Reading hosted by Dylan Teut, the director of Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival.  Today at the Nerdy Book Club Josh revealed the book trailer.  

A Courageous Climb--Mighty Jack And The Goblin King Blog Tour

We've all experienced those moments when the end result of a situation is in question.  A ball is pitched, the batter swings and hits.  The ball soars, seemingly suspended in the air.  Everyone in those few seconds wonders if it is a home run.  Dark clouds swiftly move across the sky, wind whips weeds, leaves and branches, thunder rumbles and there is a flash of lightning.  With a pounding heart you wonder if you will reach shelter in time.  These and numerous other circumstances happen every single day.  And usually we don't have to stand by for long to get an answer.

In works of fiction these cliffhanger scenarios can be particularly tense because readers may have to wait until a sequel or companion title is published.  You are so caught up in the action you don't realize you have come to the last page until astonished you stare at the final words.  You simply can't believe it!  This is exactly what happens in Mighty Jack (First Second, September 6, 2016) written and illustrated by Ben Hatke.  This wild variation on Jack and the Beanstalk leaves you wanting more as soon as possible.  Let me tell you, the second title, Mighty Jack And The Goblin King (First Second, September 5, 2017), is an equally rip-roaring ride in the unexpected.  It is worth every second of the wait.

RMPH!
Climb!
I'm trying!
Use my shoulder
to--That's it, now--
HRRGH!
OW!
GASP!
HUFF!
I wonder-
HUP!
I wonder where we are?
Let's find out. 

Jack and his friend Lilly are in pursuit of the ogre who captured Jack's little sister Maddy.  They have been climbing a beanstalk but where it goes is out of this world...literally.  This beanstalk acts as a bridge between worlds suspended in space.

Before they can even catch up with the ogre, a mischief of evil rats causes the separation of Lilly and Jack.  Against all instincts, Jack has to leave Lilly, injured and lying hundreds of feet beneath him.  Saved and healed by goblins ousted from their castle by giants and those rats, Lilly realizes the goblins expect her to marry their king.

Finding a way into the castle with assistance from ones he saves, Jack is horrified by the fate in store for his sister.  Her blood and bones will serve to help the giants maintain control of the castle, a nexus point between worlds.  If the device being heated is not feed a human when it is ready, it will explode.  Even Phelix, a dragon friend whose appearance is timely and uncanny, can't help Jack save Maddy.

Beneath the castle, in the sewers, a battle wages, with a spectacular and surprising result.  Laws governing goblins are strange and wonderful. Within the castle, Jack faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles.  A din grows and a machine growls.

There are battles, physical, mental and emotional, choices and sacrifices.  Nothing will ever be exactly normal for the trio again.  Adventure is there waiting...and needing their presence.


There is nary a doubt about the heart of Ben Hatke.  With each beat his gift as a storyteller is made visible through his words (and his art).  His characters reside in worlds conducive to the events in which they find themselves.  It is the very definition of high adventure.

In this volume we see Jack and Lilly as comrades with a common goal even though for a significant part of the narrative they are engaged in separate secondary tales.  These story lines allow them to mature emotionally as tough choices are presented to both of them.  When Hatke brings them together again, they are a stronger team.

What readers will appreciate is the sense of humor which surfaces throughout this story.  Not only are the conversations in which it appears funny but they contribute to the exquisite pacing.  As the story is told another treat for readers is the marvelous manner in which Hatke answers previous questions weaving every thread together to fashion a fantastical fabric.


 When you look at the front of the jacket and case of this title, you know Jack, his sister Maddy and Lilly will be in a fight for their lives.  You wonder about the glowing-eyed creatures and the rats.  Are they friend or foe?  What kind of place contains all those pipes?  A page turn reveals Jack and Lilly standing on the enormous beanstalk, now no longer going up but across.  A wordless, two page spread opens the story with a single, gloved hand reaching through vines and rocky cliffs.

The art for this book was drawn on laser printer paper with Sakura Pigma Micron pens (sizes 005, 01, 05, and 08) over lightly colored pencil.  Colors were accomplished digitally using Photoshop.

Most of the panels are framed in a wider white border but their sizes and shapes vary to keep our eyes moving at the same cadence as the story.  Sometimes Hatke has images with no words to emphasize a point.  He may place one or more smaller illustrations over a large two-page picture.

I have many favorite images but I can't tell you about some of them without spoiling the story, which I would never do.  In one of the scenes in which you find yourself cheering, we seen a group of goblins in a chamber with Lilly.  They are garbed in cloaks, tunics, helmets and armor and some have swords.  Lilly has just adjusted her wedding attire.  Her stance is determined as is her expression.  She says

Bring me a sword.


To date I have read Mighty Jack And The Goblin King written and illustrated by Ben Hatke twice.  There are specific sections which I have read over and over and over again.  Hatke never fails to entertain and surprise us.  His characters, with their strengths and weaknesses, are inspirational to the core.  This title as well as Mighty Jack is going to be very popular.  I would have multiple copies available.  I am already acquiring some for my Halloween giveaway.

If you desire to learn more about Ben Hatke and his other work please visit his website and Tumblr pages by following the links attached to his names.  At the publisher's website you can view several interior illustrations.  You will enjoy watching this video in which Ben Hatke talks about this work.

To visit other blogs participating in this tour follow this link to First Second to get a full list.

White As...

Once the words fairy tale are uttered an aura of magic and mystery fills the place.  If others are present, without being aware, they move in closer to the speaker.  Even though the particular story selected may be as familiar as our own faces in the mirror in the morning, we still listen as if we are hearing it for the very first time.

Fairy tales have distinctive goodness in them working to overcome blatant evil.  They are not without supreme difficulties but we know there will be a happily ever after.  Author illustrator Matt Phelan, highly respected for his body of work, especially his graphic novels, brings to readers a haunting rendition of one of the most well-known fairy tales.  Snow White: A Graphic Novel (Candlewick Press, September 13, 2016) written and illustrated by Matt Phelan is remarkable for the brilliance of the artwork, setting and narrative.

The story opens with a beautiful young woman lying in a sleigh in a store-front window.  NYPD crime scene tape ropes off the area.  A police detective asks a crying youth:

What's the story here?
Who is she?

He replies:
White as snow...

By the attire worn by the characters, you know this story is taking place in the not-too-distant past.   With a page turn your curiosity is satisfied with the words

1918
Central Park

A little girl, Samantha White, is playing in the snow as her mother strolls along with her but the happy day turns tragic when the woman begins to cough blood.  She passes away shortly thereafter.  Ten years later, Mr. White reads a newspaper article about a hit performer at the Follies.  He is mesmerized by her performance.

Her new stepmother, the Ziegfeld Queen, has Samantha sent away to boarding school.  Back at home Mr. White seems to have survived the market crash but cannot survive the evil wishes and jealousies of his new wife.  At the reading of Mr. White's will his wife is shocked by an amendment leaving the bulk of the estate to Snow White.

A man is hired to kill Snow White but after chasing her in and through Hooverville, he warns her to never go home again.  This man visits a butcher hoping to convince the stepmother the deed is completed.  Snow White finds her way back to the city only to be nearly attacked by two villains in an alley. She is saved by seven boys who live on the streets.

That night Snow White takes the boys to Macy's department store to show them the winter window display, hoping to help them believe there is beauty everywhere.  This is a mistake.  Another mistake is made the next morning.

In a state of shock, sadness and anger, the seven give chase and watch as fate attempts to balance the scales.  Remembering Snow White's first love shared with them, they proceed, with heavy hearts, to carry out their plan.  A detective gets the surprise of his life.  Seven boys finally believe in the power of snow.


Within eighteen chapters Matt Phelan writes a minimal amount of text, the majority of it dialogue.  This presents pivotal points of the plot in more specific detail but allows for the atmospheric images to carry the story.  One highly ingenious twist on tradition is the use of ticker tape instead of a mirror on the wall.  This is no ordinary machine but one filled with malice printing out truth and suggestions to the wicked Mrs. White.  Here's some of the dialogue during the evening with the seven boys.

You're far from the country now, sister.
The same snow falls here.
Hmmph.
This city is beautiful, too.
It has its own magic.
Come on.
I'll show you.
Ain't you scared?  Someone's after you!
Scared?  Of course not.  I have seven brave protectors.


As soon as you open the matching dust jacket and book case you know this Snow White is going to be different.  The image from the left, the back, carries over the spine.  It's a night silhouette of the city skyline.  In the center of the darkness is a picture of the seven boys with a quote from the book.  In the black of the spine the title text and font are replicated.  The opening and closing endpapers are lighter as you get closer to the body of the book, moving toward dark gray on the outside edges.

After the chapter headings pages, a single picture of the face of Snow White in repose is shown.  We move seamlessly from the story's present, to the past, and moving again to the present. Matt Phelan alters his panel sizes to supply the narrative's pacing.

Rendered in pencil, ink, and watercolor with digital adjustments fairly wide margins of white frame each picture.  The details, specifically those depicting an emotional moment, are intensely real.  You will feel your breath catch at some of his close-up pictures.  Phelan's use of light, dark and shadows is masterful.

One of my many favorite pictures is at the beginning.  It's when the detective is speaking with one of the seven boys.  It is a single page picture of the boy crying.  We have zoomed in to his teary face.  A ball cap is off to the side on his head.  A striped scarf is wound around his neck. His head is slightly down and his eyes are closed as two large tears slide down his face.  He utters the classic phrase.


Snow White: A Graphic Novel written and illustrated by Matt Phelan has been named by School Library Journal as one of the Top 10 Graphic Novels | 2016.  Every time you read it you can understand why it received this designation.  Every time you read it, you discover another detail which enriches the telling.  This book should be on every professional and personal bookshelf.

To learn more about Matt Phelan and his other work you can visit his website and blog by following the links attached to his name.  At the publisher's website you can get a peek inside the book; more than forty pages.  At Candlewick Press there is a discussion guide and author's notes about this title.  Be sure to visit Watch. Connect. Read. the blog of John Schumacher, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, for the book trailer premiere.  It gives you a real sense of the time and place of this version.  There are more teaching ideas for this book at School Library Journal's Inside 'The Classroom Bookshelf'.  This title is discussed with Matt at The Beat Comics Culture and The Comics Alternative for Young Readers.  

Of Monarchs, Magic And Maliciousness

Many of us have listened to or read fairy tales for most of our lives.  We hear the words "once upon a time" and open our hearts and minds to familiar settings unlike our own, characters who cause terrible troubles and others who overcome great obstacles, and magic making an appearance when we least expect it or thankfully when we long for it.  Most people regardless of their age will be familiar with the young woman who has lost one or both of her parents and is under the control of a wicked stepmother and her two daughters.  They feel a kinship with her every hardship and cheer with a sense of justice and relief at the outcome.

Most will not know the original Cinderella is believed to have come from China more than one thousand years ago.  Since that time stories with the same motif have come from countries around the world each with a specific set of elements; each a mirror of the culture and people. Variants have been told and written with their own particular twist but keeping the essence of the original narrative.  The Rat Prince (Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, August 23, 2016) a debut novel written by Bridget Hodder puts a wondrous spin on the tale, taking seeds from the story and growing it into something entirely her own.

Prologue
When you hear the tale of Cinderella, do you ever wonder about the rats who were turned into coachmen by her fairy godmother?
No?
Then do take a moment to consider.

Prince Char begins speaking to us about his observations as a royal rodent at Lancastyr Manor where generations of rats have been bound to the human occupants.  Rose de Lancastyr is the beautiful daughter of the late Lady Jane and the current Lord Lancastyr.  Due to her father's declining mental health, a stepmother and her two daughters now occupy the residence with her.  Prince Char and his royal councillor and best friend, Swiss, initially believe her to be kind but a total lackwit.  An encounter in the kitchen with her stepmother Lady Wilhemina, completely changes this assessment.

Of the two stepsisters, Eustacia and Jessamyn, nine-year-old Jessamyn is the more compassionate.  Rose, Cinderella, is her best friend.  We and Jessamyn discover at the same time of the unusual relationship between Cinderella and two rats who she has named Blackie (Prince Char) and Frump-Bum (Swiss).  Cinderella discloses to her stepsister of the generosity of the rats in bringing her food when Lady Wilhemina refuses her dinner.  Blackie has surprisingly enough given her, during a night of great sadness, a large sapphire ring.  Etched in the face is the Lancastyr seal.  Blackie comes close enough to Cinderella for her to pet him.

On the morning of the great ball Prince Char and a group of trusted companions leave their Northern Rat Realm, venturing into the Southern Rat Realm, ruled by Princess Mozzarella, to enter Castle Wendyn, home of Prince Geoffrey.  They have to see if he will make a proper ruler and husband for Cinderella. Even the Rat Prince's mother, Lady Apricot, sees the wisdom in this move, although rats rarely involve themselves in the affairs of humans outside Lancastyr Manor.  In their way of thinking if Cinderella is queen, Lady Wilhemina will be removed.  With her absence goes the rat poison which has killed many.

 It seems Cinderella will be allowed to go to the ball until the truth strikes her like a blow. What will she wear? When she arrives in her room, a pitiful place in the attic, several surprises await her.  Of these I will only say one offers her an opportunity and the other offers her an explanation.

On the day of the ball the Lancastyr household is a frantic flurry of activity with Rose doing most of the work wondering how every desire will be satisfied.  On the day of the ball the Rat Prince and Swiss observe an absolute horror at Castle Wendyn.  On the evening of the ball an equally horrifying series of events happen at Lancastyr Manor triggering an ancient invitation.  It's a big chaotic swirl of characters and a single wish.

Two individuals need to accomplish their goals; saving what is loved most.  Words need to be said but cannot be uttered.  As the clock ticks toward midnight the action is twisting and turning in all directions.  Readers will wonder what awaits each and every character.  The characters scarcely breathe themselves as each minute reveals one shocking bit of news after another.  As the twelfth stroke echoes, the past collides with the present.  It is indeed memorable.


To have imagined and written this novel of Cinderella, author Bridget Hodder is clearly a scholar of fairy tales, reading them and enjoying them with true affection.  Page by page as her version unfolds readers can see items from other known stories of Cinderella making an appearance, not necessarily as we expect them to but in a much grander perspective.  She takes what we know enhancing it; enlarging the narrative with wholly, beautifully believable stories within a story.  An example of this is the two stepsisters.  To have chosen one of the sisters to be younger and kinder figures more than once at critical points in the plot.

Another storytelling technique employed by Hodder is to have this portrayal spoken not be an unseen narrator but in first person (rat) voices in alternating chapters.  We start and end with wise Prince Char, taking turns with a determined and resilient Cinderella.  Whether they are in the same setting or a different place in the kingdom of Angland, each chapter flows flawlessly into the next.  We easily bond with the thoughts of the young woman and the rat.  We are able to ascertain the personalities of each character, primary and secondary, (usually) by the conversations throughout the story.  There is not a wasted moment as we speed toward the conclusion in classic page-turner style.  Here are some selected passages.

It has a carving on it," my stepsister breathed in awe.
"The seal of Lancastyrs," I said.
Together, on the same impulse, Jessamyn and I raised our eyes to look over at the rats.
They were nearer now.
Blackie's dark gaze on me was so intent, I would almost swear he understood what I'd said.
"But where could the rat have gotten such a thing?" Jessamyn demanded. "Wait.  You're merely teasing me, aren't you?  Oh, Rose, how could you?"
"I'm not teasing!  Blackie gave me the ring.  And every time I feel discouraged or tired or hungry, I touch it, and somehow it gives me the strength to carry on."
"Don't let my mother see it," Jessamyn said, in her wise little voice.
She was right, of course.  I tucked it away again, out of sight.

I wanted to nudge Rose's arm and tell her not to fear---if her stepmother were ever to steal the ring, I would get it back.  Believe me when I say there is nowhere a rat cannot go, and there is certainly nowhere Lady Wilhemina could have hidden the ring where I wouldn't have found it.  We rats had cherished the shiny golden thing for more than a century, ever since Prince Gravy, a most canny rat-ruler, nicked it from the bedside table of a slipshod Lancastyr ancestor, Vern the Vapid.

Swiss was looking at me with reproach in his eyes.  "You have yet to explain why you gave our greatest treasure to a human."


The Rat Prince written by Bridget Hodder is a Cinderella variant which I gladly devoured in a single sitting the first time and savored passage by passage the second time.  The tale is told with such excellence you can readily regard it as the true version.  This book is most definitely one to be read by those who crave fairy tales.  It is so much deeper and broader; I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great story.

To learn more about Bridget Hodder please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  To read an excerpt, the first chapter, please follow this link to the publisher's website.  Bridget Hodder has been interviewed at Literary Rambles.

How Does The Garden Grow?

As any horticulturalist, farmer or gardener will tell you it's a combination of factors which contribute to the growth of plants.  Soil, moisture, nutrients, light and heat play critical parts in its health.   Depending on the hardiness of the plant even the slightest variance can cause a change.  The one constant is a specific seed will produce a particular plant.

Several hundred years ago a tale was told of a young man who traded the last item of wealth he and his widowed mother owned for a few beans.  In an extraordinary twist on the expected within the magic found in fairy tales, the beans when planted grew into a gigantic stalk twisting skyward to vanish in the clouds.  Depending on the selected version of Jack and the Beanstalk adventurous quests follow, eventually leading the lad back to his home.  Mighty Jack (First Second, September 6, 2016) written and illustrated by Ben Hatke is the first in a new series of graphic novels about a modern day Jack, his younger sister Maddy and their friend Lilly.  It's a heart pounding variation with page turns which will leave you gasping and then grinning.

Summer vacation has started but for Jack it won't be typical.  To begin he will be getting up early to take care of his non-speaking sister Maddy to help his mom who is now working two jobs to make ends meet. On their way to a flea market he notices a new girl in their neighborhood practicing with a sword and shield in her front yard.

Distracted at a booth selling books, Jack loses sight of Maddy only to find her at the stall of a clever, wily stranger.  He knows Jack's name, claiming Maddy told him. Several odd things happen here involving a less-than-ordinary gizmo, the man's female companion and the stranger's insistence Jack trade his mother's car keys for a box filled with seed packets.  Against all reason, Jack makes the trade.  After all...Maddy told him to do it.

Fortunately hours later the car is recovered far from the family's home.  In the morning Maddy insists they overturn dirt in the back yard and plant the seeds.  The next morning they continue work in the garden. The seeds have started to grow. The results are weird. An introductory visit from Lilly, the sword-wielding girl, does not end well when some of the plants start scooping up mud and throwing it.  Only Maddy witnesses this.

The next morning everything in Jack's and Maddy's world gets turned upside down and inside out.  The garden is enormous and it's growing things which move, fight and like to chew on humans; doll like onion people, giant melons with even larger mouths and jagged teeth, and pods with power...jumping power.  Just when you think it could not get more fantastic, it does.  Maddy walks into Jack's room late at night several days later with an announcement.

A midnight rendezvous provides answers and questions.  A misadventure the following day ends up with a visit to the hospital.  Lilly has a secret.  Maddy has a secret.  One will be needed to vanquish the other.  Everyone changes.  A hero is needed.  A hero needs a companion.  Mighty Jack is born.


When Ben Hatke begins this narrative with a nightmare, you can already feel the tension start to build.  As smooth as silk he introduces the acquisition of not a few beans but a box full of seed packets, one of the packets containing something dark and dangerous. Each incident and conversation between the characters is a series of pieces fitting into a larger puzzle. (You could, and probably will, read the conversations between the characters over and over again.  They are as real as the wind and rain outside my home for the past three days.)  This is done with the flair of a master storyteller; you sense something growing, something more than the plants in the garden.

Each of the primary characters, Jack, Maddy, Lilly, Jack's and Maddy's mom, are presented with their strengths and flaws.  We feel deeply connected to them.  There is great affection between Jack, Maddy and their mother.  The appearance of Lilly, skilled through her older brothers' love of Renaissance reenactments, is timely, making her a perfect partner.  We have questions about their neighbor Mr. Gooseworth and his talk of Confederate gold.  We have even larger questions about the stranger and his companion at the flea market.


According to the information provided the illustrations

were drawn on laser printer paper with Sakura Pigma Micron pens (sizes 005, 01, 05, and 08) over light colored pencil. Colors were accomplished digitally using Photoshop.

The image on the front cover crosses the spine to the left, the back, the growth of plants dividing the page in half diagonally with six other Hatke titles shown at the top. The introduction to the three main characters is an exciting glimpse into the story but is truly only a brief look at the marvelous adventures contained within this book.  The dedication and acknowledgements give us inside knowledge as to how this story will unfold. They let us see inside the heart of the book's creator.

The panels on each page vary in size supplying readers with pacing.  Each panel is usually framed with an equal amount of white space.  Hatke does include many panels without text.  For maximum impact he shifts perspective and uses light and shading to excellent effect.  His two page spreads and larger images with smaller ones placed on top of them generate a "wow' factor.

I have so many favorite illustrations it is impossible to select only one but the wordless two page picture after Jack, Maddy and Lilly have consumed the pods is magic with a capital M.  The expressions on their faces are sheer bliss.  The body postures allow their personalities to shine. I would be willing to bet lots of readers will want to join them.


Mighty Jack written and illustrated by Ben Hatke is a spectacular series opener.  It's loaded with great dialogue, the right amount of mystery, edge-of-your-seat action and page turns which will take your breath away.  You simply can't read it once. It demands you read it repeatedly. I would plan on multiple copies of this title.

To discover more about Ben Hatke and his other work please visit his website and Tumblr pages by following the links attached to his name.  To view some of the interior images please follow this link to the publisher's website.  I believe you'll enjoy reading this recent interview of Ben at mcnallyrobinson.com.

As part of this blog tour we were asked to name some of our favorite adaptations of fairy tales.  I created a blog post on February 23, 2016, Celebrate National Tell A Fairy Tale Day 2016. In it I name twenty-four of my favorite titles.  Fairy tales are those stories which have been a part of my reading life the longest.  You can always find me hanging out in the 398.2 section of any library.  Please take a few moments to visit the other sites on this tour.  

Miss Print, 9/26

Teen Lit Rocks, 9/27

Charlotte's Library, 9/28

Kid Lit Frenzy, 9/29

Librarian's Quest, 9/30

YA Bibliophine,10/3

Ex Libris Kate, 10/4

The Book Rat, 10/5

Love Is Not a Triangle, 10/6

The Reading Nook, 10/7

She's Big, She's Bad, And She's Back

In the realm of fairy there are villains in need of vanquishing...always. They plague the residents' pursuit of a life filled with peace.  One of the most haunting tales is of children wandering deep into dark woods.  Under the guise of goodness a wicked witch lures them lost and hungry into her home.

The canny canine in The Three Ninja Pigs (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., September 27, 2012) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat and back again in Ninja Red Riding Hood (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), July 10, 2014) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat was permanently put in place by masterful martial artists, a pig phenom and a gal and her grandmother.  Another member of the family is famished, looking for food.  Hensel And Gretel Ninja Chicks (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, May 24, 2016) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez with illustrations by Dan Santat follows a fiendish fox.  Fearless fowl intend to foil her feast.

Once upon a menacing time
two chicks knew a fox was at large. 
Their Ma had been taken
and Pop was quite shaken
so Hensel and Gretel took charge.

In the village dojo, they learned a new form of martial arts mojo.  Silence, shadows and stealth became their friends as they sought to bring this reign of terror to an end.  Imagine their dismay when they arrived home to find their father had been taken away.  Without a minute to waste, they hiked in great haste; leaving crumbs in their wake.

Feeling great fear and fright, discovering their morsels had vanished from sight, they wandered into the night until they saw a light.  Following the glow up ahead they discovered an abode made entirely of corn bread.  Little did Hensel know as she snacked, she was about to be attacked.  Once inside, she knew the vixen had lied.

In a cage Pop had been stuck and Mama was next to be plucked.  Finding herself behind bars, Hensel thanked her lucky stars for her lock picking skills.  In case you're wondering about good Gretel, knowing her family was in trouble, down the chimney she went on the double.  Mother and daughter combined their survival savvy giving the fox a fight.  Pop and Hensel helped to set things right.  Kiya!


Combining their warrior writing expertise Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez create a story moving and grooving to a rhyming ninjutsu beat.  Elements of the original tale are deftly woven into this fractured version focusing on chickens and the foul fox.  The dialogue blended with the narrative is dynamic creating tension and comedy at the same time.  Here is a sample passage.

She gasped, and then dashed 
to the corner,
where Pop was confined in a crate.
"Watch out!" Papa cried.
"You'll be
chicken-pot-pied!"
She sidestepped,
but it was too late. 


When opening the dust jacket, to the left, on the back, readers see a canvas in the same hue as seen on the title text on the front.  In a diagonal panel the fox is pictured engaged in battle with the two chicks, one kicking outside the lines of the frame.  We read the words

Is that witchy fox ready for kung POW chickens?

On the front the no-nonsense expressions on the faces of the chickens and fox and the body stances on all of them foreshadow the events to come; wok in hand the fox will fight for food and the chickens are determined to do battle to spare everyone's lives.  The opening and closing endpapers feature first the coop-like residence of the chickens sitting in a clearing surrounded by the forest.  At the back, in a more mountainous setting, the fox's house awaits the arrival of some unlucky soul, smoke rising from the chimney.

Rendered throughout with Sumi brush work on rice paper and completed in Adobe Photoshop Dan Santat visually begins the story with a two page image on the dedication, verso and title pages; Pop, Hensel and Gretel, worried and wary, are walking to the gates of their town.  A BEWARE sign, with a fox on it, is hanging on the gate.  Nods to the two previous books are seen on buildings as the trio approach the dojo.  Santat's perspective in these first two large illustrations draws our attention directly to the main characters.

Many of the remaining pictures spread across two pages but Santat places pictures within pictures as the action dictates.  Even his single page pictures flow across the gutter forming a wonderful whole. The color palette reflects the time of day along with the correct emotional atmosphere.  Each scene is vivid and vibrant, especially the fighting segments.  There is so much energy in his images they embrace you. You'll believe you can hear voices and sounds.

One of my favorite illustrations spans two pages.  Within this picture we see the passage of time and the journey Hensel and Gretel take through the forest.  Clothed in their ninja clothing they move with caution through trees, across a bridge near a waterfall, along a mountainous path and carefully approach the light seen through the trees on the right toward the bottom.  The layout and design fashion a feeling of motion.


Hensel And Gretel Ninja Chicks written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez with illustrations by Dan Santat is fairy tale fun full of twists and turns.  When the words are read aloud with these images, your listeners will be ready to assume positions in defense of whatever scoundrel skulks into view.  This is one of my favorite Hansel and Gretel variants.

To learn more about Corey Rosen Schwartz, Rebecca J. Gomez and Dan Santat and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  The trio can be found on Twitter at @CoreyPBNinja @GomezWrites and @dsantat  Enjoy the book trailer.

Celebrate National Tell A Fairy Tale Day 2016

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day is coming Feb 26th! pic.twitter.com/91RyDCT6Ij

— Corey Rosen Schwartz (@CoreyPBNinja) January 26, 2016

For more than a month author Corey Rosen Schwartz has been sending out tweets recommending books, lesson links and activities to get everyone excited about fairy tales.  If you visit her Twitter feed or follow the hashtag #tellafairytaleday you will discover wonderful resources.  As a huge fan of fairy tales myself (My personal bookshelves are filled with fairy tales and their variants), I decided to dedicate this post to all the fairy tale titles I've highlighted here since the beginning of Librarian's Quest. Most of them are picture books but some are middle grade titles.



Cloaked (Harper Teen, February 8, 2011) written by Alex Flinn

Alex Flinn has done it again.  In fact I did a brief booktalk about Cloaked (Harper Teen, February 8, 2011) to a class of eighth grade students prior to completing my review.  Later when I went to grab it to continue writing it had already been checked out.

As she did in Beastly she brings her original contemporary twist to the fairy tale genre.  But this time rather than focusing on one tale she incorporates bits and pieces from The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Frog Prince, The Six Swans, The Golden Bird, The Valiant Tailor, The Salad and The Fisherman and his Wife.  At times she will use quotes from these stories to begin a chapter.






The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (G. P. Putman's Sons Books for Young Readers, July 7, 2011) written by Laura Murray with illustrations by Mike Lowery

Laura Murray, teacher turned author, has cooked up a completely clever confection for teachers and students alike, The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (G. P. Putman's Sons Books for Young Readers, July 7, 2011, as her first children's title. Taken from her experiences in the classroom Murray mixes her fanciful flavors giving readers a new twisty treat on the traditional tale.

Using jaunty, rhyming phrases with a beat,

I began in a bowl.
I was not yet myself-
just a list of ingredients pulled from a shelf.
chosen by children who measured and mixed
my smooth, spicy batter while sneaking quick licks...

a classroom of students form their gingerbread man and bake him up just right. Left on a pan to cool, recess time next is the rule, but the animated sweet wants to be with the students too.

Laura Murray built on the success of the first title with companion titles, The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck and The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas.

Wolf Won't Bite! (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, March 20, 2012) written and illustrated by Emily Gravett

As far as I can tell the three little pigs and the wolf have been entwined together since 1849 when they were printed on the pages of Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales by James Orchard Halliwell.  He is later given credit by Joseph Jacobs when his version appears in the English Fairy Tales of 1898.  It is this variant with which most readers are familiar.

Each author/illustrator brings their own particular slant to the tale choosing to either remain faithful to the original plot or by creating an entirely different scenario for readers.  Author/illustrator Emily Gravett in Wolf Won't Bite! (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, March 20, 2012) stages a production unlike any other.  Her troupe of trotters has managed to soothe the savage beast, a listless lupine.


The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (Walden Pond Press, May 1, 2012) written by Christopher Healy

Fairy tales have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  After several summers of attending storytelling workshops and classes as part of the National Storytelling Association (now the National Storytelling Network) in Jonesborough, Tennessee, I became fascinated with the variants connected to the cultures from which they came.  And I am not alone.  If I had a dime for every request for a princess story I've had over the duration of my career, I could completely restock the shelves in the library media center.

But even after collecting numerous variations on some of my favorites, nothing could have prepared me for Christopher Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (Walden Pond Press, May 1, 2012).  His take on the princes from Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, none of whom are actually named Prince Charming, is offbeat and downright hilarious.  Princes's personalities, fully disclosed, stray considerably from what readers know to be true from the original stories.





Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs (Balzar + Bray, September 4, 2012) written and illustrated by Mo Willems

As a collector of stories and the books that house them, over the years it has been interesting to see how one author may interpret a fairy tale or an illustrator may give readers visuals to go with the classic, well-known words.  Of course, different cultures will bring their own individual slant to a story, immersing the reader in a particular language, style of dressing, housing, food and occupations.  Then too, there are those authors and illustrators who fracture the familiar and that's where the fun really begins.

To name a few there are The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs! by A. Wolf as told to Jon Scieszka with illustrations by Lane Smith, The Three Pigs written and illustrated by David Wiesner, Little Red Riding Hood--A Newfangled Prairie Tale written and illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst, Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale with illustrations by Howard Fine and Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson with illustrations by Kevin O'Malley.  Author/illustrator Mo Willems takes readers down a twisted road with his retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs (Balzer + Bray, September 4, 2012).  It would appear these three particular dinosaurs have read the original version.



The Three Ninja Pigs (G. P. Putnam's Sons, September 27, 2012) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat

Yes, I'm talking about the wolf.  Oh, he's shifted shape from time to time; a coyote, a shark, a big-bottomed boar, a wrecking ball, an eagle, a tyrannosaurus and in a real switcheroo, a pig.  To be sure, he's struck terror in many a critter's (truck's) heart.

This time, though, from the get-go, he's met his match.  He's huffed and puffed one too many times.  The Three Ninja Pigs (G. P. Putnam's Sons, September 27, 2012) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat gives this fairy tale a fun, feisty flip.


Goldilocks and Just One Bear (Noisy Crow, an imprint of Candlewick Press, August 14, 2012) written and illustrated by Leigh Hodgkinson

Some of the most beloved stories, those most remembered into adult years, begin with, Once upon a time... and close with happily ever after.  In fact, in my experience, those seven words have an almost universal effect on listeners; people know something out of the ordinary is going to happen in-between.  When Once upon a time is read or said, anticipation grows, listeners lean in or move closer.  At the sound of happily ever after, there is always a collective silent or audible sigh.

Have you ever wondered, though, what happens after happily ever after.  Do The Three Pigs start a construction company specializing in earthship homes?  Does Little Red Riding Hood become an activist for the protection of wolves?  Do Hansel and Gretel open a health food store? Or as in Goldilocks and Just One Bear (Nosy Crow, an imprint of Candlewick Press, August 14, 2012) written and illustrated by Leigh Hodgkinson does what you least expect happen?



Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems (Dial Books for Young Readers, February 7, 2013) written by Marilyn Singer with illustrations by Josee Masse

In the land of fairy tales expect the unexpected.  In the world of poetry anticipate the unanticipated.  When fairy tales and poetry meet anticipate the unexpected; relish the shifts in perspective, giving voice to those previously silent.

In 2010 author Marilyn Singer introduced a new poetic form, the reverso.  In her title Mirror, Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse (Dutton Children's Books) for the first time we read two poems side by side (the reverso); same words in each but on the left we read from top to bottom, on the right using the same order from bottom to top.  The only alterations were in punctuation and capitalization.  She put a whole refreshing spin on fairy tales we thought we knew.

Last month a companion title, Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems (Dial Books for Young Readers, February 7, 2013), illustrated again by Josee Masse was released.  Twelve folktales accompanied by an introduction and conclusion are altered with Marilyn Singer's special brand of vision.  She leads and we follow...follow.



Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin (Alfred A. Knopf, April 9, 2013) written by Liesl Shurtliff

Stepping into the land of fairy is like closing your eyes and taking a leap of faith.  Traditional, original, tales have a mixture of grimness and happily ever after.  Those stories altered or fractured tend to lean toward the humorous.  Whatever turn they take, in my experience, it's been a journey worth taking.


It's when readers are given a more detailed and elaborate view of characters, a shift in focus, the magic found in those stories heightens.  Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin (Alfred A. Knopf, April 9, 2013) imaginatively written by debut author, Liesl Shurtliff, gives readers in the character of Rump, a person to admire, a story to hold in our hearts long after the final page is turned. The Brothers Grimm should have searched harder; finding this story, a story to be remembered.




Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist (WordSong, an imprint of Highlights, March 1, 2013) written by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich with artwork by Matt Mahurin

What compels people to read fairy tales?  What brings us back to them again and again?  What makes us search out new variations?

 In response to a question Albert Einstein stated If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales.  If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.  C. S. Lewis thought sometimes fairy stories say best what needs to be said. One of my favorite phrases, attributed to G. K. Chesterton, though is Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.

No matter the age of the reader or listener, fairy tales fulfill a need deep within for the connection provided by storytelling with beginnings in the oral tradition.  They provide potent possibilities for digging deeper into the personalities of the characters, changing point of view, and expanding or altering the narrative itself.  Authors Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich explore these ideas in Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist (WordSong, an imprint of Highlights, March 1, 2013) with artwork by Matt Mahurin.



The Three Triceratops Tuff (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, April 2, 2013) written and illustrated by Stephen Shaskan

Have you ever noticed how some grazing animals will stick their heads through a fence to eat on the other side, believing it to be better even though the food is exactly the same?  While the phrase "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" may not hold true in most instances, out of necessity animals and people have throughout time moved to better their circumstances or as a means of survival.  The struggle associated with this endeavor has found its way into folklore.

Out of the storytelling tradition in Norway comes a fairy tale of three goats, hoping to eat grass on the other side of a bridge.  The problem is the ugly troll beneath the bridge, who would like nothing better than to have them for dinner.  With a twist and a trip to the past author/illustrator Stephen Shaskan offers readers, The Three Triceratops Tuff (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, April 2, 2013).


The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., April 30, 2013) written and illustrated by Mark Teague

When it comes to folktales, wolves have generally been portrayed as the bad guys.  It seems they have a huge hunger for little girls in red capes, grandmothers, baby goats and pigs.  They've made appearances in fables and fairy tales throughout time and in cultural variants from countries around the world.

Even when the tales are fractured, the premise is pretty cut and dried.  In The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., April 30, 2013) written and illustrated by Mark Teague, readers are given a fresh view of the pigs and...the wolf.  Let's head on over to the barnyard.









Little Red Writing (Chronicle Books, September 24, 2013) written by Joan Holub with illustrations by Melissa Sweet

Before I could read, as soon as I could read and to this day, fairy tales are favorites.  Traditional, variants and fractured, I enjoy them all.  My bookshelves are a testament to this preference.

It's such fun to see the spin authors and illustrators put on traditional tales.  Their inventiveness has never seen an entire cast of pencils though.  Little Red Writing (Chronicle Books, September 24, 2013) written by Joan Holub with illustrations by Melissa Sweet leads readers down the perilous path of authorship fraught with danger where bravery and a noun might save the day.

Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., November 5, 2013) written and illustrated by Jan Brett

To see the downtrodden lifted up, for a moment or for happily ever after, is food for the soul.  We cheer for their good fortune.  To see hope realized is a necessity.

A perennial favorite fairy tale, in all its variations, is of the orphan bullied by spoiled sisters and their haughty mother.  Who better to retell the tale than Jan Brett in Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., November 5, 2013)  Let's open the cover stepping into a wintry Russia of the eighteenth century.




Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., February 6, 2014) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton with illustrations by Nate Wragg

Eventually the prize was delegated to the oldie-but-goodie-not-working-worth-a-hoot pile but the recollection of the contest never fails to bring on a smile.  We had been practicing.  We could hardly wait for the night to arrive.  When the familiar tune started, the dance floor was soon packed with competitive couples.  We added extra steps, moving and grooving to the beat.  Before long we were one of a few couples left twistin' the night away.  When we were announced as the winners, we looked at one another and burst out laughing.

Music has a magic to it; a way of lifting your spirits or aligning with your moods, conveying what words sometimes are unable to say.  When you combine it with the spell cast by folklore, you will find yourself reading Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., February 6, 2014) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton with illustrations by Nate Wragg.  Get out your dancing shoes as the fractured fun unfolds.



Ninja Red Riding Hood (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), July 10, 2014) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat

Some villains simply can't take a hint.  Faced with defeat they retreat only to come back for more.  They cave to their cravings; especially if it involves meat.  One could say they never really learn; or do they?

Such is the case with the wily wolf that faced the proficient porkers in The Three Ninja Pigs (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., September 27, 2012).  Giving credit where credit is due, he is crafty enough to realize he needs to sharpen his combative skills along with his teeth.  Author Corey Rosen Schwartz and illustrator Dan Santat have returned in a collaboration of fractured fairy tale frenzy titled Ninja Red Riding Hood (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), July 10, 2014).  Hold on to your gi.  This Red of the Riding Hood will have you shouting whoopee!



Catch That Cookie! (Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, August 14, 2014) written by Hallie Durand with pictures by David Small

When learning a story yourself or teaching storytelling to others, the key is not in recalling it word for word but finding the essence of the narrative.  To me this is what knowing it by heart means.  If the bare bones of the tale are timeless, if it has appeal across cultures to people regardless of their age, it will remain as long as there is memory.

When reading any of the earlier versions of The Gingerbread Man (which as far as I can tell is strictly an American adaptation on the runaway food motif from folklore)  he was made by a little old woman and a little old man who had no children of their own.  Since that time authors and illustrators have delighted readers with their individual interpretations and enhancements on the original.  Catch That Cookie! (Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, August 14, 2014) written by Hallie Durand with pictures by David Small is an extraordinarily tasty tale mixing all the necessary ingredients for a recipe readers will remember.




Jack (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), September 16, 2014) written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

One character's name appears over and over in world literature.  Most readers and listeners of nursery rhymes, folktales and fairy tales can name him.  He can jump over a flaming candle stick, pull out a plumb with his thumb, eat no fat, build a house, fetch a pail of water, grow a stalk that reaches into the clouds from a magic bean, paint frost or triumph over giants.

In the eastern mountain regions of the United States his stories are so numerous they warranted their own collection.

Jack, of the Jack Tales, embodies some of the common characteristics of culture hero.  He is the third son---the magic number.  He is the honest, straightforward, guileless one who never suspects the tricks and deceptions of others.  He is the western European hero who lacks all sophistication but is exceptionally clever. 

                                   (Storytelling:  Folklore Sourcebook Norma J. Livo

                                     & Sandra A. Rietz, 1991, page 25)

Leaving home to search for wealth, success or a home of his own is a common theme in the Jack tales.  Master storyteller Tomie dePaola in his most recent title, Jack (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), September 16, 2014) spins his own singular version for our youngest readers.




Hansel & Gretel (A TOON GRAPHIC, October 28, 2014) written by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Lorenzo Mattotti

I am a collector of words; not necessarily individual words but words put together in ways meaningful to me.  Collections of quotations hold space on my bookshelves.  In my dining room hangs a chalk board with a favorite saying welcoming guests into my home.

Either spoken or written my most cherished collections of words are stories, especially folklore. These tales were the first I heard and learned to read.  I haunt the 398.2 sections in libraries seeking out new narratives or derivatives on old ones.  One of the most enjoyed units working with students is the presentation and comparison of folktale and fairy tale variants.  It's fascinating to listen to the discussions of their viewpoints and to see them realize how each story is a reflection of the culture from which it comes.

When I learned Neil Gaiman was writing Hansel & Gretel (A TOON GRAPHIC, October 28, 2014) with illustrations by Lorenzo Mattotti, I knew I not only had to read it but needed to own a copy.  First I read it quickly; then again more slowly marking specific sentences which wrapped me in the atmosphere of his telling.  I sought out other versions; locating my copies of Best-loved Folktales Of The World (Doubleday & Company, 1982) selected by Joanna Cole, Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm (Puffin, 2012) introduction by Cornelia Funke and Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm: A New English Version (Viking, 2012) by Philip Pullman.  For the third time I read Hansel & Gretel told by Neil Gaiman knowing I was reading pure magic.

Interstellar Cinderella (Chronicle Books, May 5, 2015) written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Meg Hunt 

When you take away the magic, fairy tales can mirror the real world.  A parent can disappear from our lives through death or divorce.  They are often replaced with another less than savory person who may or may not have children of their own.  Each day brings tasks to be met as a new normal is being shaped.

Cultural adaptations supply variances but at the heart of every story is a clever protagonist.  Interstellar Cinderella (Chronicle Books, May 5, 2015) written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Meg Hunt draws our attention to a girl, despite her current circumstances, who maintains her focus.  Her determination and choices provide readers with courage and hope.




Little Red And The Very Hungry Lion (Scholastic) written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith

In my way of thinking you can never have too many fairy tales on your personal or professional book shelves.  At the very least a perusal of your library statistics should indicate you as a frequent visitor and borrower of titles from the folklore section.  On most days you can see me exhibiting my firm support of this particular train of thought in a pendant I wear.

Interpretations, variations and fractured fun on the classics broaden our views on the intent of the original stories and the cultures from which they and others come.  Eleven versions of Little Red Riding Hood appear on my personal shelves; some are more light-hearted than those which adhere to the conclusion of the earliest tales.  On May 7, 2015 Little Red And The Very Hungry Lion (Scholastic) written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith celebrated a book birthday.  To begin the story we journey to the continent of Africa.


Little Red Gliding Hood (Random House, October 27, 2015) written by Tara Lazar with pictures by Troy Cummings

There are still forty-one days until the December solstice but a chill is in the air, trees are nearly bare of leaves and needles, and snow is staying on the mountain tops.  It's a time to gather wood for cozy fires, check furnaces and gas fireplaces, take wool blankets and flannel sheets out of storage, and locate mittens, hats and scarves.  Poles, snow shoes, sleds, snowboards, skis and ice skates move from the back corners of sheds and garages to the front.

We all watch and wait for the snow to fall deeper and deeper.  We all watch and wait for those chilly temperatures to turn our water wonderlands into frozen stages for our skating dances and games.  In the realm of fairy tales and nursery rhymes the residents are as eager as we to shift into another season.  Little Red Gliding Hood (Random House, October 27, 2015) written by Tara Lazar with pictures by Troy Cummings follows a familiar girl among a cast of well-loved characters as she searches for a way to win.


For more fairy tale fun follow this link to a small collection of Little Pig Variants on Popplet.  

Wishing you all a very happy National Tell A Fairy Tale Day!