Fractured Fairy Tales

For Young Adult Readers

A fractured fairy tale is designed to be humorous by changing the story in an unexpected way, like altering a character, or adding modern language and events. Don’t be put off by the grade ranges on these titles. Fractured fairy tales are not just for little kids. Readers of all ages enjoy these tales.

To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!

Crazy Jack by Donna Jo Napoli.
LP 735 or RC 50017
The traditional tale is transformed into a coming-of-age story about risk taking. Here, an older Jack climbs a beanstalk, steals from a giant, and finds that his treasures have a different value back home. Throughout his struggles, Jack's loyalty to his mother and his true love, Flora, remains steadfast. For grades 6-9.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.
BR 50727 or LP 247 or LP 50086 or RC 46186
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her. For grades 4-7.

The Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka.
RC 34881
The Frog Prince (the frog who was turned into a prince when kissed by a princess) did not live happily ever after—at least not right away. He and the Princess made each other so miserable that he longed to become a frog again and went searching for a witch who could turn him back. For grades K-3 and older readers.

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson.
LP 717 or RC 50346
This continuation of the Cinderella story opens in the palace, where Ella is learning to be a princess before her wedding. When she realizes how stifling court etiquette can be, Ella tells the boring prince she won’t marry him. But she must struggle to gain her freedom. For grades 6-9.

The Nearsighted Knight by Mary Francis Shura.
BR 390
A comic fantasy on the familiar theme of a difficult princess and a questing knight, but the characters’ peculiarities produce a rather unconventional fairy tale. For grades 4-6.

The Prince of the Pond: Otherwise Known as De Fawg Pin
by Donna Jo Napoli.
RC 36636
Jade, a female frog, meets the prince when he first becomes a frog. Pin (as the prince calls himself, hampered in his speech by a long, fat tongue), is handsome but strangely ignorant of the joys and dangers of being a frog. So Jade teaches him the ropes. Later, when a passing princess accidentally kisses him, he disappears from Jade’s life, leaving her with 50 tadpoles to raise alone. For grades 3-6.

Rhyme Stew by Roald Dahl.
RC 39242
Dahl presents delightfully wicked parodies of well-known nursery rhymes, folktales, and fairy tales, including “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,” “Mary, Mary,” and “Hansel and Gretel.” For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl.
BR 11568
Retelling in verse of six well-known fairy tales featuring surprise endings in place of traditional happily-ever-after. For grades 3-6.

A Small, Elderly Dragon by Beverly Keller.
BR 7458
A fun-filled spoof on fairy tales. Blystfylyl, a dragon past his prime, is no longer interested in hurting anyone, especially the citizens of the chaotic kingdom of Minervia. But when a housing development threatens the peace and quiet of his lair, he has no choice but to create an uproar. Then an evil sorcerer turns Bly into a parrot and takes over the kingdom. For grades 4-7.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieska.
LP 50096 or RC 38039
The author calls these tales “not quite” fairy tales, or fairly stupid tales. Included are “The Princess and the Bowling Ball,” “The Other Frog Prince,” “Cinderumpelstiltskin,” and “The Stinky Cheese Man.” For grades K-3 and older readers.

Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird
by Vivian Vande Velde.
BR 10739
Humorous re-workings of 13 folktales by the Brothers Grimm. In “The Granddaughter,” Granny and the wolf find Little Red Riding Hood so disagreeable they both plot against her. After the oldest Billy Goat Gruff disposes of the troll in “The Bridge,” he knocks both brothers into the water out of spite. For grades 3-6.

A Wolf at the Door: And Other Retold Fairy Tales.
RC 53007
A collection of 13 tales by science fiction and fantasy authors. In “Hansel’s Eyes,” by Garth Nix, a blind, spider-like witch captures Hansel and Gretel in a computer game store. Other writers include Jane Yolen, Michael Cadnum, Gregory Maguire, and Patricia A. McKillip. For grades 6-9 and older readers.