Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird [Paperback]

Vivian Vande Velde (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 1997 | Age Level: 9 and up

Presenting a twisted take on familiar fairy tales such as Red Riding Hood, Rumplestiltskin, and Hansel and Gretel: These fractured fairy tales are both humorous and unique, from their creative beginnings to their surprise endings.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8?A different take on traditional icons of virtue and evil. In the course of retelling some popular fairy tales, Vande Velde challenges readers' notions of good, bad, and ugly by examining the stock characters' motivations and often recasting them in a different light. Needless to say, these role reversals affect very different outcomes to the familiar, if slightly fractured, story lines. For example, kindhearted Rumpelstiltzkin wins the heroine away from the vain, self-important king, and the Frog Prince, once restored to his princely stature, rejects the haughty princess and goes home to the goose girl. To say nothing of the demonic twins Hansel and Gretel, who have done in one mother and are ready to take on another. Modern references and sensibilities, such as those in the "And Now a Word from Our Sponsor" and "PG-13," add to the humor (often the gallows variety). Entertaining and provocative, these selections make good read-alouds and can be used to spark discussion or creative writing exercises.?Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Grade 4-8. A different take on traditional icons of virtue and evil. In the course of retelling some popular fairy tales, Vande Velde challenges readers' notions of good, bad, and ugly by examining the stock characters' motivations and often recasting them in a different light. Needless to say, these role reversals affect very different outcomes to the familiar, if slightly fractured, story lines. For example, kindhearted Rumpelstiltzkin wins the heroine away from the vain, self-important king, and the Frog Prince, once restored to his princely stature, rejects the haughty princess and goes home to the goose girl. To say nothing of the demonic twins Hansel and Gretel, who have done in one mother and are ready to take on another. Modern references and sensibilities, such as those in the "And Now a Word from Our Sponsor" and "PG-13," add to the humor (often the gallows variety). Entertaining and provocative, these selections make good read-alouds and can be used to spark discussion or creative writing exercises. Luann Toth, School Library Journal
(School Library Journal )

"Imaginative and entertaining." (The Horn Book ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (May 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440413001
• ISBN-13: 978-0440413004
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,384,593 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun fractured fairy tales, January 11, 2000

By 

Jennifer Mo - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird (Paperback)

Vivian Vande Velde neatly skewers some traditional fairy tales in this collection of stories; most are moderately good-- entertaining, but not terribly deep. This anthology would have joined the ranks of the mediocre if not for one absolutely clever and wonderful retelling of Rumpelstiltskin called "Straw into Gold." This one story makes the whole book worth getting. The others are good, but "Straw into Gold" outshines them by far.

There are many fairy tale retellings; those of Robin McKinley (Beauty, Rose Daughter), Donna Jo Napoli (Spinners, Zel, The Magic Circle) Mercedes Lackey (The Fire Rose, The Firebird) and Patricia Wrede (Snow White and Rose Red) are particularly worth checking out.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Fractured Fairy-Tales!, November 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird (Hardcover)

How do you fracture a fairy tale? The dust cover of my edition of the book says there are four different ways: make the villain a hero, make the hero a villain, tell what really happened, or all of the above. A fifth way might be added: let the tale ferment in the mind of Vivian Vande Velde for a while until you get a heady wine of gruesomeness, fun, and hilarity. The best of the best in this group of short stories would have to be "Staw into Gold," a new twist on the Rumpelstiltskin tale that has a perfect ending for children of seperated, divorced, or remarried parents and "Frog" a re-telling of the classic Frog Prince with a lesson about keeping promises.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very creepy, but good read, November 30, 2009

By 

Enna Isilee "www.squeakybooks.com" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird (Magic Carpet Books) (Paperback)

Not much to say about this book. It's a light, sweet read that made me laugh out loud more than once. Some of the twisted fairy tales are very disturbing, however. Others almost made me cry. I actually fell in love with Rumplestilskin. He's amazing.

Anyway. Cute read. And most of the tales are great for little kids. I thought the "Rated PG-13" on the back was a joke, but after reading it I see that it's not, not really. It's not inappropriate at all for anyone over 13 I think. Just a little creepy.