Fairy Tales for Young Readers (review)

Fairy Tales for Young Readers
Author: E. Nesbit
Publisher: Dover Publications (Jan. 14, 2015)
Review copy courtesy of NetGalley

When I was young, I remember reading and listening to a few of the wonderful children's books by English author, E. Nesbit, so I was intrigued to see that a book was being republished of her classic fairy tales interpretations. I expected to enjoy them, but I had forgotten what an influence she had been on writers such as P. L. Travers (Marry Poppins), C.S. Lewis (Narnia books) and J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter books), all of whom echo at times her wry, clever humor. I recommend that parents read these aloud to their children, as there is as much for adults to enjoy as for the children, and both will delight and laugh in the imagery and wit.

As I read through the stories, I kept stopping and reading passages to my wife, so I thought I'd share a couple that I shared with her.

From the middle of Cinderella:

For in those days shoes were not sold ready-made in shops, but were made specially to fit the people who were to wear them. And besides, the glass slipper was magic, and so had too much sense to have fitted any one but its owner, even if the country had been full of shops selling Rats' Ready-made Really Reliable Boots.

From the beginning of Jack the Giant-Killer:

In the long-ago days of King Arthur, who invented round tables, there was a sort of plague of giants in the West Country-just as nowadays there are plagues of wasps, and mosquitos, and millionaires, and the giants threatened to spread, like other plagues, till they had eaten up all the nice, proper-sized people in England.

While a few words may seem unfamiliar or antiquated, by and large the stories are timeless and charming. I strongly recommend these to both adults and children. They will remind you that children's literature can be so much richer than Captain Underpants without being boring or irrelevant to modern children.

Five out of five stars!

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk (review)

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk (to be published by Knopf in April 2015)
Author: Liesl Shurtliff
Review ARC sent by publisher

Having read and greatly enjoyed Liesl Shurtliff's debut middle grade novel, Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, I was eager to read "Jack," but a little worried that it might not live up to her first. I needn't have worried.

Shurtliff devised a very clever way to tie together the two stories, while managing the essential task of allowing each to be read on its own. Jack does not start out in the same magical world in which "Rump" takes place, but instead in a place slightly reminiscent of Dorothy's Kansas in the "Wizard of Oz." But we do eventually get to that world, and the shift will delight young readers with its shift in perspective as much as earlier readers delighted in the magical kingdom of Oz.

Giants, elves, pixies and golden eggs, and none of them quite what they seem at first. Jack is destined to be the hero, but not in the way he expects, and only after getting in and out of a number of difficult situations and learning to depend on others, no matter how small. Keep a close eye out, because other fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters make appearances as well.

While I read this as an ARC, I'll be sure to pick up a hardcover copy when it is available. Terrific fun for kids (and adults who aren't afraid to be kids as well).

I can easily recommend this book for both boys and girls in third through seventh grade. I'm glad to have had a chance to read it.

Five out of five stars!

2011 Kiddo Award Winners

James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead.com announced the first annual Kiddo Awards: books picked as the very best books of the year for getting kids absolutely addicted to reading.

In the first stage of the award selection, the ReadKiddoRead board, children's book reviewers, librarians, authors, and others picked a short-list of forty books which they felt met the criterion. Then, the public was given a chance to winnow that selection down to four, one for each age group. Their mandate:

What makes a book a Kiddo winner? These are the books that kids find unputdownable. These are kids' favorites, and keep them reading. The books that are guaranteed to make your kiddos readers for life.

Below are the winners. In a separate page, I'll list all winners and the runners-up (because once these kiddos have read the winner, they'll need more to read).

Review: A True Princess by Diane Zahler

A True Princess published by HarperCollins in Feb. 2011
Author: Diane Zahler

I love a good fairy tale, and have even had a few of my own published over at the wonderful Enchanted Conversation. Because I care so much about classical fairy tales, I always view modern reinterpretations of older fairy tales with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Still, the anticipation usually wins out, and I was excited to hear about A True Princess.

A review copy arrived from HarperCollins the day before yesterday, and I can honestly say I was entranced. The book looks even better in hand than it does online, what that wonderful read-me-now quality. Fortunately, this charming and exciting book by Diane Zahler lives up to its promise.

In fairy tale fashion, the story starts with 12-year-old Lilia overhearing her cruel stepmother threatening to send her to work for the away, but things change rapidly as Lilia takes matters into her own hands and runs away first. Like many of the best early fantasy stories, Lilia is a strong and independent girl, though not without her weaknesses. Girls of around this age will love her spirit and smarts, and boys will love the scenes with the Elf King and the dreadful Odin.

While the story uses the core of the Princess and the Pea, which makes certain parts a little predictable, there are different stories woven together, and the romantic entanglements are more complex than they appear at first, although all both satisfying and age-appropriate. Who will get the Prince? How will they vanquish the Elf King? Fortunately, the book is not too long, as kids are likely to beg to stay up and keep reading it.

I would recommend this strongly for girls, and for boys who like mythical adventures and fairy tales. It is aimed well at 9-12 year-olds, although I think it would have a lot of appeal for strong readers who are a little younger as well.

Four stars out of five.

Incidentally, Diane Zahler has written one other fairy tale retelling, The Thirteenth Princess, based loosely on "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," which I am now eager to read. Hers is a name to watch for the kind of exciting fairy tale fantasy which so excites young readers.

More about A True Princess on Amazon.com
More about A True Princess on Amazon.co.uk