Parents and children love to play "question" games: Would you eat spaghetti made with gummy worms? Would you wear your clothes backwards all day? Sometimes the answer is "yes" and sometimes it's "no"--but the fun is in the asking. Gifted writer and educator Esme Raji Codell has writtten a book that incorporates fractured fairy tales with this kind of parent-child interplay to create a pitch-perfect combination of bedtime read-aloud and fairytales that will delight children and parents!
Fairly Fairy Tales
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Kids current on their fairy tales will appreciate the whimsical way Codell spins the basics by adding one oddball element to each story told by a mother to her recalcitrant boy at bedtime. In the tale of the Three Little Pigs, for instance, solar panels make an appearance along with the straw and bricks. After the boy checks off the tried-and-true elements of Little Red Riding Hood�red hood, wolf, and grandma�he has to pause to consider if shampoo can figure into the plot: NOOOOO! Well, maybe. Chavarri�s colorful, almost wordless two-page spreads imagine how the twists impact each story and are packed with details delighted readers will pore over. At Grandma�s Beauty Salon, for instance, several wolves, one wearing a Big �N� Bad T-shirt, are getting their fur pampered. Baskets of goodies are for sale, and Grandma is painting the heroine�s nails with Lil� Red polish. This fun outing will be a surefire winner whenever it�s read�bedtime or not. Preschool-Grade 2. --Karen Cruze
About the Author
Esme Raji Codell is the author of the best-selling EDUCATING ESME, a memoir for the adult market about her first year teaching in Chicago, as well as several books for kids, including DIARY OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER, HANUKKAH SHMANUKKAH, and SAHARA SPECIAL. This is her first book for Simon and Schuster. You can visit her at www.planetesme.com.
Elisa Chavarri is a freelance illustrator/animator who on most given days can be found working from her studio in her apartment in Northville Michigan which she shares with her husband Matt. She is a native of Lima, Peru. You can visit her at www.elisachavarri.com.
Elisa Chavarri is a freelance illustrator/animator who on most given days can be found working from her studio in her apartment in Northville Michigan which she shares with her husband Matt. She is a native of Lima, Peru. You can visit her at www.elisachavarri.com.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of these things is not like the others/One of these things just doesn't belong
February 21, 2011
Format:Hardcover
This collection of mixed-up fairy tales begins with the premise of a mother reading to a child at bedtime. "Kiss? Yes./Water? Yes./Bedtime? NOOOO!" While the text is rather slight, the retro illustrations reminiscent of the 60's carry the story forward, and make the most of some of the ridiculous juxtapositions. For example, in the story of the Three Little Pigs, sticks, straw and bricks are followed by, "Solar panels? NOOOOO!" and the next page concedes, "Well, maybe," as readers are treated to a double-page spread depicting hippie pigs hanging solar panels on their brick townhouse next to a community garden where a folk music concert is taking place. Sharp-eyed readers will spot the first of many visual jokes: a wolf strolling by, handing out flyers promoting wind power.
The addition of shampoo to Little Red Riding Hood's story turns her grandmother into a manicurist at a beauty salon, and Red gets her nails done, as the woodsman expertly shampoos the wolf's mane. What really makes this book fun to read are all of the little details filled with sly humor. The salon contains baskets of sale items, including "Den Head" fur wax, and a copy of "WQ" magazine (Wolf's Quarterly, no doubt) for waiting patrons to read.
The addition of a disco ball to Cinderella's story ends up with Cinderella shimmying in a silver jumpsuit and platform heels with a suspiciously John-Travolta-esque Prince Charming, as a bellbottomed Fairy Godmother looks on and giggles.
The recurring refrain of, "Well, maybe," finally comes in to play at the end of the book as the mother and child say, "Kiss? Yes./Water? Yes./Bedtime? Well, maybe," leaving the child snuggled soundly into bed. This book would be great for sharing one-on-one. For ages 4-7.
The addition of shampoo to Little Red Riding Hood's story turns her grandmother into a manicurist at a beauty salon, and Red gets her nails done, as the woodsman expertly shampoos the wolf's mane. What really makes this book fun to read are all of the little details filled with sly humor. The salon contains baskets of sale items, including "Den Head" fur wax, and a copy of "WQ" magazine (Wolf's Quarterly, no doubt) for waiting patrons to read.
The addition of a disco ball to Cinderella's story ends up with Cinderella shimmying in a silver jumpsuit and platform heels with a suspiciously John-Travolta-esque Prince Charming, as a bellbottomed Fairy Godmother looks on and giggles.
The recurring refrain of, "Well, maybe," finally comes in to play at the end of the book as the mother and child say, "Kiss? Yes./Water? Yes./Bedtime? Well, maybe," leaving the child snuggled soundly into bed. This book would be great for sharing one-on-one. For ages 4-7.
By Lori Katz
Format:Hardcover
In my school library each spring I share many versions of different fairytales with all my students. So by now every kindergartener through 6th grader is familiar with all the fairytales in this terrific picture book. By the second story in this book the students are chiming in with "nooooo" and a few "well, maybes" while gaping at the details of all the pictures. This is a wonderful book and author and illustrator have done a terrific job. Recommended for fans of the genre for reading alone or sharing.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Girl Dork
Format:Hardcover
In the fairy tale world, we know what happens (and if we don't, this book will be extremely confusing). Codell puts a spin on familiar fairy tales by asking the reader to imagine "what if?"
We know little red riding hood wore a red hood, and we know there was a wolf. We also know there was no shampoo involved in the story. But what if shampoo made an appearance? Everyone involved in the story would hang out at a beauty salon!!
The limited text and style of writing repeats itself which is wonderful for new readers. The illustrations are beautiful and will draw any child to the book.
We know little red riding hood wore a red hood, and we know there was a wolf. We also know there was no shampoo involved in the story. But what if shampoo made an appearance? Everyone involved in the story would hang out at a beauty salon!!
The limited text and style of writing repeats itself which is wonderful for new readers. The illustrations are beautiful and will draw any child to the book.
