I love fairy tale retellings and have way more than ten favorites. These are my truly top ten.
East by Edith Patou. Harcourt, 2003.
A retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon and, as I later learned, a variation of Cupid and Psyche. Demanding but lovely.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. Bloomsbury, 2003.
Shannon Hale's debut, I believe. I adored the original cover. I recently reread it with my ears. The production was full-cast and I enjoyed revisiting this.
Anything by Joanna Napoli. I believe the first Napoli fairy tale retelling I ever read was The Magic Circle, in which she retold Hansel & Gretal from the witch's POV. It's really something when an author can make an unsympathetic character sympathetic. I went on to read many of her other retellings: Zel; Beast; Bound; Breath; Spinners; Crazy Jack; The and I just adore her mythology collections.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Square Fish, 2013.
I can't wait for the final installment, Winter, come fall. I just loved this sci-fi treatment of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White.
Rump: the true story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesl Schurtliff. Random House Childrens Books, 2013.
An entertaining retelling of Rumplestiltskin. I haven't had a chance to read the companion, Jack: the true story of Jack in the Bean Stalk yet.
A Tale Dark and Grimm (and its companions) by Adam Gidwitz. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2010.
This trilogy is wholly original, frequently hysterical and rather gross. It's also a fan favorite at my school - usually out for the entire school year.
Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody. Random House Children's Books, 2013.
I love this Robin Hood retelling told from the POV of William Shackley. I also like the cover art change of the PPB edition (on right).
The Hero's Guide to... series by Christopher Healy. HarperCollins Publisher, 2013.
Four princes don't exactly live happily ever after with their respective princesses and feel the need to make names for themselves in this wholly original, hilarious adventure. The first book was narrated by Bronson Pinchot. This series is also quite popular at my school.
The Dark Fusion series by Neal Shusterman. Penguin Publishing Group, 2000.
There are only three book in this series but all three intrigue and entertain. Each is a fusion of two tales. In Dread Locks, book one of the series, it's Medusa and the Three Bears. In book two, Red Rider's Hood, it's Little Red Riding Hood and werewolves. In Duckling Ugly, it's the Ugly Duckling and the fountain of youth. Wish there were more.
Rock n' Roll Fairy Tales by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple. Tom Doherty Associates, 2007.
There were only two Rock n' Roll Fairy Tales published, though more were planned by the mother-son team. The second was Pay the Piper. The music-themed fairy tales were quite entertaining.
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