You’re Never Too Old—or Too Young—for Fairy Tales!

A wise teacher once said, “Fairy tales are much more than silly bedtime stories. The solution to almost every problem imaginable can be found in the outcome of a fairy tale. Fairy tales are life lessons disguised with colorful characters and situations.” I couldn’t agree more! Whether you’re just learning to read, or have accumulated a library that rivals a certain Beast that lives in an enchanted castle in France, everyone can learn something from a fairy tale! And there’s so many new interpretations and retellings of classic stories. We can’t get enough! [Psst! Did you figure out who the wise teacher was? Mrs. Peters from Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell!]
Picture Books
It’s a delightful twist on the classic tale Little Red Riding Hood, but it’s also a story about staying true to yourself, even when confronted by close-minded wolves.
While not a classic fairy tale, or modern retelling, The Impossible Mountain has everything you look for in one: an epic journey, overcoming giant obstacles, life lessons…and stunning art!
A refreshing take on a classic tale, and not just because living in a book sounds a lot more pleasant than living in a show. The little old woman has lost her children but she’s determined to find them herself! And she’ll travel into a variety of classic stories, meeting favorite characters along the way, for a fun, silly adventure!
The only thing that might be just as much fun as reading a fairy tale is writing your own! Violet is ready to write an epic tale, but Victor isn’t quite as sure. But with a little imagination, they’ll write a happily ever after to save the day.
Middle Grade
Set in the world of Julie Abe’s Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, this is an enchanting fairy tale retelling of Japanese Cinderella. Alliana’s dreams of fairy tales and magic are destroyed when her grandmother passes away and she’s forced to do the bidding of her evil stepmother and stepsister. But then a nightdragon and a young witch visit Alliana and you know nothing will be the same after that!
A fairy tale that puts a new twist on the classic legend of Camelot. Ellie is a witch but is determined to prove society wrong by enrolling in Fairy Godmother Academy. And then gets drafted to serve as a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. Caedmon finds the draft ridiculous but his family’s lives are at stake. When Ellie and Caedmon discover a wicked curse, so begins a thrilling journey to break it and save the world.
Young Adult
Sophia, Princess Among Beasts
by James Patterson
With Emily Raymond
This fierce, feminist retelling of Sleeping Beauty is anything but sleepy. Miriam is the daughter of the Queen, but not a princess. And she doesn’t want to rule. When her baby sister Aurora is born, she’s thrilled, until Dark Fae arrive, ready to curse the little one. Suddenly Miriam realizes she possesses dark powers herself, and she’s tasked with training in magic and combat to protect not only her little sibling, but her entire kingdom.
A dazzling retelling of Arabian Nights, with magic spun in each thread of each amazing story. Evil ruler Lo-Melkhiin arrives after killing three hundred women on a quest for a wife, but she is determined to not let her sister perish. Each night, Lo-Melkhiin listens to her stories, and she begins to uncover the past. But there’s an unseen magic brewing and the tales take on a life of their own.