The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma


Diane Fox - 2014
    What's her special power?"Cat says, "She doesn't have any special powers. It's not that kind of a story."And then the fun ensues!The zany, fun back-and-forth of Dog and Cat celebrates the joy of reading -- and questioning. Young children will cheer Dog's persistent questions as well as Cat's dedication to keep telling the story.

Falling for Rapunzel


Leah Wilcox - 2003
    Instead of her curly locks, she throws her dirty socks. Instead of silky tresses, out go lacey dresses. And you can predict the guaranteed-to-crack-kids-up clothing she sends down when the prince simply says hair. . . .Finally Rapunzel heaves out something that makes all the prince's dreams come true, showing how misunderstandings can lead to happily-ever-after.Hilarious text, clever page-turns, and vibrant, eclectic art make this a non-traditional Rapunzel kids will want to read about again and again.

Little Red Writing


Joan Holub - 2013
    and saves the day.

The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot


Margaret McNamara - 2011
    Margaret McNamara (How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?) and Mark Fearing (The Book that Eats People) have created a humorous and visually stunning story that kids will adore—and that will introduce them to the planets and the solar system. The endpapers even include a labeled diagram of all the planets.

The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas


Tony Wilson - 2009
    His dream girl shows up unexpectedly in the form of his old friend Pippa, who is all too happy to pitch a tent or play a hard game of hockey, after which she finds the perfect use for that packet of peas! In this twist on the fairy tale, Tony Wilson and Sue DeGenarro deliver a freshly humorous take on one prince s search for the just-right girl of his dreams.

How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel


Wendy Meddour - 2014
    "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, please let down your hair!"Called the prince from down on the bottom stair.But Rapunzel just sat -As still as a wall;She didn't think much of the prince at all.Rapunzel sits on the sixteenth floor of an inner city block, bored, dreaming and looking out at the rain.ÿ No one can rouse her from her apathy, not the milkman or the postman or the baker or her aunt - or even the prince. But when at last a letter is delivered, it contains news that has Rapunzel on her feet again. She has a new job at the library! And suddenly her life is busy, sparkling, exciting and stimulating. "For despite her long hair and her ravishing looks, she loved nothing better than reading good books!"

The Princess and the Pit Stop


Tom Angleberger - 2018
    . .. . . who made a pit stop.While the Birds and Beasts changed her tires, her Fairy Godmother told her she was in last place! With just one lap left! She might as well give up!Give up? Not THIS princess! Instead, she hit the gas!   Join Her Royal Highness in the driver’s seat for a mad dash to the finish in this exciting ode to auto racing. With appearances by fairy tale favorites including the Tortoise and the Hare, the Frog Prince, and ALL of the Wicked Witches, this rollicking mash-up of race cars and royalty is a true celebration of both girl power and horsepower.

The Princess and the Pizza


Mary Jane Auch - 2002
    After her royal father decides to retire and become a wood carver, Princess Paulina has no idea what to do with herself. She can't survey the kingdom from her leaky cottage roof, and no one waves back when she proceeds through the town on her father's cart.When she hears that a neighboring queen is seeking a bride for her son, Prince Drupert, Paulina sees her chance to get back to princessing. But it will take all her wit and determination to pass the Queen's tests. . . . and in the end, maybe there are better fates than a royal marriage.Full of tongue-in-cheek references to stories like Rapunzel, Snow White, and the Princess and the Pea, this fractured fairy tale is an hilarious twist on traditional tales in which a young woman's practicality, good humor, and intelligence let her shape her own happy ending-- with extra cheese and all the toppings her heart desires.

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs


Mo Willems - 2012
    . . and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway.One day--for no particular reason--they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then--for no particular reason--they decided to go...someplace else. They were definitely NOT setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl.Definitely not!This new take on a fairy-tale classic is so funny and so original--it could only come from the brilliant mind of Mo Willems.

The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-be


Mini Grey - 2003
    But for those of you who may have wondered how anyone could feel a tiny garden-variety pea under the weight of twenty mattresses, this book will put that question to rest once and for all. This witty spoof was shortlisted for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in the UK. It was Mini Grey's first book and a worthy predecessor to such favorites as Traction Man is Here!

Something from Nothing


Phoebe Gilman - 1989
    Gilman's modern adaptation and lively illustrations turn this favorite Jewish tale into a contemporary classic.

Rumpelstiltskin


Paul O. Zelinsky - 1986
    Adults will find that, like most classic fairy tales, this one rewards periodic rethinking." --New York Times Book Review"Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light." -- School Library Journal

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter


Diane Stanley - 1997
    She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin.According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom.2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist01-02 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6) 99-00 Children's Book Award

Huff & Puff


Claudia Rueda - 2009
    Three interior die-cut holes invite readers to huff, puff, and blow the pigs’ houses down! This fractured fairy tale ends sweetly when, rather than blowing down the third pig’s brick home, the wolf/reader blows out the candles on a cake baked by the pigs! A satisfying and engaging read for every young Three Little Pigs fan.Praise for Huff & Puff "Simple but wonderfully expressive, the illustrations are ink drawings with pale washes of tan, pink, yellow, and blue. A beautifully designed and wholly engaging picture book for young children."–Booklist"Sure to be a family favorite." –Shelf-Awareness “A good chance for youngsters to relish enacting the wicked role while still getting a friendly reconciliation at the end.”–Kirkus Reviews"Very young readers will get a kick out of taking the wolf’s part, and their parents will appreciate that the scariest bits of the original tale have been omitted."–School Library Journal"Like her repetitive text, Rueda’s illustrations are gently funny and elegantly simple."–Horn Book"The reader is encouraged to follow the pigs into the book."–Library Media Connection

Interrupting Chicken


David Ezra Stein - 2010
    It's time for the little red chicken's bedtime story—and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can't help herself! Whether the tale is "Hansel and Gretel" or "Little Red Riding Hood" or even "Chicken Little," she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters from doing some dangerous or silly thing. Now it's the little red chicken's turn to tell a story, but will her yawning papa make it to the end without his own kind of interrupting? Energetically illustrated with glowing colors—and offering humorous story-within-a-story views—this all-too-familiar tale is sure to amuse (and hold the attention of) spirited little chicks.