"The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales" by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith

"The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" 

by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith

56 pages /  Print / Fairy Tale

Summary: From the introduction of the book, the author tells us that these are not just fairy tales, but "fairly stupid" fairy tales. Your favorite fairly tales have been transformed into new, funny ones using familiar and new characters. Characters in each of the fairly tales find themselves in the middle of other ones, making this a very entertaining book to read. The fairy tales that are "stupidly" retold are: :Chicken Little"("Chicken Licken"), "The Princess and the Pea" ("The Princess and the Bowling Ball"), "The Ugly Duckling" ("The Really Ugly Duckling"), "The Frog Prince"(“The Other Frog Prince”), "Little Red Riding Hood" ("Little Red Running Shorts") , Jack and the Bean Stalk ("Jack's Bean Problem"), Cinderella/Rumpelstiltskin ("Cinderumpelstiltskin"), "The Tortoise and the Hare" ("The Tortoise and the Hair"), and "The Gingerbread Man" ("The Stinky Cheese Man").

 Evaluation: This book is a collection of fractured fairy tales retold in a unique and funny way。Students love fractured fairy tales because they give a different way of looking at a story, which creates different questions to answer about story elements. Fractured fairy tales also are very funny, which students will appreciate. "The Stinky Cheese Man an Other Fairly Stupid Tales" is also wonderfully illustrated. The creepy and gross way each character and setting is drawn adds to the effect of the book. Fractured Fairy tale books are also great for teaching students that traditional stories are fun to recreate. This could lead to an assignment that makes the student make a fractured fairy tale of their own.

Appeal Terms: fairytale, leisurely, dark, humorous, magical, multiple plotlines, eccentric, quirky

"Cinderella" by K.Y. Craft

 

"Cinderella" 

by K.Y. Craft

32 pages /  E-Book / Folktale

Summary: Cinderella, forced to serve her stepsisters, finds herself meeting a prince in the woods. The prince fancies her very much, but Cinderella runs off to care for an injured bird she found. The bird ends up being a fairy godmother that transforms Cinderella into a beautiful princess. The godmother also gifts her a magical coach to accompany her to the gala at the prince's castle. The prince sees Cinderella at the gala and falls in love. Cinderella leaves the gala before midnight because the magic spell will end at that time. She forgets one slipper, but the prince retrieves it. The prince searches for the owner of the slipper by visiting every woman in the kingdom until he finds someone that fits it. Finally, the prince gets to Cinderella and the slipper is a perfect fit. They marry and live happily ever after.

Evaluation: This book is a work of art. Craft has created fantastic illustrations that play off the magical story of Cinderella. Each illustration in the book (oil painting) could stand on its own and tell a story. The style of illustration matches the time period of the story, my guess is the late 1600s. The story of Cinderella has many variations from around the world, but this story is much like Disney rendition. The  font used in the book is difficult to read at times, the only weakness of this book. The illustrations are so large and full of life, while the text is small and thin. The book is recommended to people that love this classic fairytale, or people that appreciate visual masterpieces. The illustrations are lifelike, so it helps ground this fantastical story into our reality.

Appeal Terms: fairytale, easy, romantic, magical, character centered, dramatic