9 retellings for your fairytale summer
*low-to-no objectionable content*
I used to keep Favorite Book Lists and update them each year (back when I had spare time for copious amounts of reading.) Both then and now, a high percentage of my book favorites have been fairy tale retellings.
Why? Likely because of the high amounts of symbolism and endless fresh spins on new stories.
Today I’ll be talking about MG/YA fairy tale retellings that I recommend, as part of the Fairytale Summer blog event hosted by Amelia Grace. The last post in this tour was Lillian Keith’s “Be Write With You (A Special Fairytale Edition)” where she gives advice to various fairytale denizens.
Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire
This is a retelling of “The Wild Swans” (ATU 451) fairy tale.
This book had moonlit forest and Scottish lake vibes.
Genre: YA fantasy, fairytale retelling.
Audience: middle and highschoolers.
Messages: Affection between siblings, bravery in actions.
Content: Some violence, magic.
Books of Bayern (series) by Shannon Hale
The first book is a retelling of “The Goose Girl” (ATU 533.) The sequels are not fairytale retellings.
Set in an fictional land similar to Germany. The premise of the magic system is that words have power, and different people’s words control different things, like birds, the wind, or people.
Genre: Middle grade fantasy, fairytale retelling.
Audience: middle and highschool girls.
Messages: Be careful what you say and what you listen to.
Content: Magic, some violence, some romance, character’s thoughts about a low-cut neckline.
Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher
This is a retelling of 1001 Nights (ATU 875B.)
Set in a fictional version of the middle east, it tells the story of one of Scheherazade’s serving girls.
Genre: historical fiction, fairytale retelling.
Audience: Elementary and middleschool aged girls.
Messages: The power in storytelling.
Content: None, although the characters do adhere to the Muslim faith.
Hagenheim Chronicles (series) by Melanie Dickenson
Some people love these books (because clean magic-free fairytale retellings are hard to find.) Other people have issues with the way Christianity is portrayed.
1 The Healer's Apprentice - Sleeping Beauty (ATU 410.)
2 The Merchant's Daughter - Beauty and the Beast (ATU 425c).
3 The Fairest Beauty - Snow White (ATU 709.)
4 The Captive Maiden - Cinderella (ATU 510a.)
5 The Princess Spy - The Frog Prince (ATU 440.)
6 The Golden Braid - Rapunzel (ATU 310.)
7 The Silent Songbird - Little Mermaid (ATU 412.)
8 The Orphan's Wish - Aladdin (ATU 875B.)
Other books by the author:
The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest - Robin Hood
The Beautiful Pretender - Princess and the Pea
The Noble Servant - The Goose Girl (ATU 533.)
The Warrior Maiden -Mulan
Genre: historical fiction, fairytale retelling.
Audience: YA girls
Content: These stories are told from a strict Christian viewpoint, however, they are romance stories and contain mentions of romance related sensitive topics. There are many injury and medical scenes, but they are not described in depth. Some violence, mentions of violence.
Princess of the Midnight Ball + sequels by Jessica Day George
Retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses (ATU 306.)
Genre: fantasy, fairytale retelling.
Audience: YA girls
Content: magic, dark forces/mention of sorcery. Romance. Mild violence. Some language in the third book.
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
East by Edith Pattou
These are both retellings of East of the Sun and West of the Moon (ATU 425a)
First I just want to say, (because I was reading too many reviews by confused people on Goodreads) this isn’t a Beauty and the Beast(ATU 425b) retelling. This fairytale is older. It is influenced by the Cupid and Psyche myth (ATU 425c)
Genre: fantasy, fairytale retelling.
Audience: YA.
Content: magic, in the form of talking animals, superstitions and enchantments, and evil trolls. Romance. (The weirdest part of this fairytale is that a man sleeps in her bed every night, but nothing else happens.) Mild violence.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Retelling of Cinderella (ATU 510a)
Genre: historical fiction, fairytale retelling.
Audience: Elementary and middleschool aged girls.
Messages: Making the best out of a rough situation.
Content: Light magic. Something to be aware of is that Ella (cursed to be obedient) finds ways around following rules and is looking to lift the curse.
Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire
Retelling of The Prince and the Pauper folktale with Russian folk influences.
Genre: Russian fantasy
Audience: YA
Content: magic (one of the characters is a witch.)