All summer we’ve been retelling Folk and Fairy Tales in our storytimes.* We also have a whole collection of Folk Tales in our picture book area, with retellings of folk and fairy tales from around the world – from the most popular to the most obscure. In fact, they’re being moved to a more prominent location, so when you are able to come visit us in Youth Services again, they’ll be easy to find!
For older readers, however, there are so many variations of “fractured fairy tales” – retellings of fairy tales with new details, from different perspectives, or set in a different time or place. Liesl Shurtliff is a master of these fractured fairy tales!
Ms. Shurtliff lives in Chicago and… no surprise… is a huge fan of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales! She says her inspiration for writing often comes from questions she thinks while she reads – What if Rumpelstiltskin was just a misunderstood hero? Why did Jack sell the family cow for beans? Her (Fairly) True Tales are reimaginings of classic tales based on exactly those questions. Every story has an underdog – and every underdog has a story! Rump, Jack, Red, and Grump are delightful stories for middle grade readers looking for a bit of adventure, and you can find all of them in the Children’s Room.
Read more about Ms. Shurtliff’s writing ideas here, or find out more about her and her other books at her website.
*Interested in catching a folk tale storytime? Check here!