Book picks similar to
Of Wind and Winter by Danyelle Leafty


middle-grade
children-s
fairy-tales
fairy-tales-and-retellings

The Wishing Spell


Chris Colfer - 2012
    Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast


Robin McKinley - 1978
    She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?"Robin McKinley's beloved telling illuminates the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple, Beauty and the Beast.

St. Griswold College for Abandoned Boys


E.M. Cooper - 2014
    What secrets have Xavier Jones’ parents hidden from him? Why is the principal, Ms Ratchet so eager to unearth them? Alone and afraid, Xavier hates his parents for what they have done yet desperately longs for them. The ruthless teachers and strange boys tell him, ‘They don’t come back... You just have to accept it. We all have.’While the world changes outside the school walls, evil brews at St Griswold. Xavier discovers the school and its inhabitants have strange customs and dark secrets - and then there are the voices. Everything he knows and believes about the world shifts.He befriends Ethan, a long term student and Gabe, an eccentric new arrival. Through them he discovers humour, hope and courage – and the first stirrings of his abilities. In a magical world teeming with angels, demons, shape shifters and the Darklaw, the boys meet Beth, a young seer from Ambrosia. First impressions count for nothing. Using their abilities and devices, they must discover who they can trust among those they meet including the ethereal Boundary Keeper, a vain messenger angel and a magical watchmaker. Together the teenagers journey across a country infiltrated by sinister forces in the hope of saving the children of Griswold. On this journey, they witness the terrifying first strike, a celestial battle between angelic and demonic armies. And Xavier learns of his destiny and a frightening prediction. This is an alternate cover edition. The ASIN is B00R9ZBDX2 (less)

Snow in Summer


Jane Yolen - 2011
    And her life in the mountains of West Virginia seems like a fairy tale; her parents sing and dance with her, Cousin Nancy dotes on her, and she is about to get a new baby brother. But when the baby dies soon after he's born, taking Summer's mama with him, Summer's fairy-tale life turns grim. Things get even worse when her father marries a woman who brings poisons and magical mirrors into Summer's world. Stepmama puts up a pretty face, but Summer suspects she's up to no good - and is afraid she's powerless to stop her. This Snow White tale filled with magic and intrigue during the early twentieth century in Appalachia will be hard to forget.

Raven Queen's Story


Shannon Hale - 2013
    But Raven has a spark of rebelliousness in her heart and she knows one thing for sure-evil is so not her style. Read all about her getting ready to return to Ever After High in this excerpt from the upcoming book The Storybook of Legends.

I'm Not Cinderella


Tarrah Montgomery - 2013
    My other foot followed. I looked back at Cinderella - I mean Gabriella - who watched from the other side of the miraculous door. Behind her, I could still see the sacks of boxes in my grandmother's attic. Gazing into reality while standing in a fantasy was a pretty weird sensation. Then, without warning, the door began to close. I scrambled to grab it, but something seemed to force it shut. Perhaps Gabriella, the supposedly sweet angel, had closed the door herself."Gabriella! Help me!"Seventeen-year-old Brinlee is a modern girl living in Idaho. When she discovers a secret portal in her attic bedroom, she accidentally swaps places with the main character from her favorite fairy tale, cinderella. Lost in Cinderella's world, Brinlee threatens to ruin one of the world's greatest love stories. New mysteries surround the characters of the beloved tale, and Brinlee is determined to uncover the secrets. On

The Secret Circle of Imaginary Friends


Mike Jeavons - 2013
    Secrets are being kept closely guarded. Destruction to homes and threatening messages are becoming common.For Simon and his friends, being visited by strange creatures calling themselves the imaginary friends is not quite as childish as they thought it might be. The creatures like to keep their lives a mystery, but want to know an awful lot about the people of Hedgely.The Secret Circle of Imaginary Friends is an exciting journey into the unknown, where you never know just who may be watching you.

Flunked


Jen Calonita - 2015
    Gilly wouldn't call herself wicked, exactly...but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run-down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly's a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself).Until she gets caught.Gilly's sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella's Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there's more to this school than its heroic mission. There's a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder just how good these bad guys really are?

The Cypher


Julian Rosado-Machain - 2011
    A glimpse into a multinational company that is in reality the oldest of secret societies, one that spans close to seven thousand years of existence, weaving in and out of history, guiding and protecting humanity from creatures and forces that most of us believe are only mythology and fairy tales.The other is the story of Thomas Byrne, a young man thrust into secrets he shouldn't be aware of and dangers he shouldn't face, but that he ultimately will, for he is a Cypher. The only one who can steer humanity's future.The ultimate conspiracy theory is that Magic is real. Kept in check by technology, but every five hundred years the balance can shift and, if it does, technology will fail and those creatures we've driven into myth will come back with a vengeance.To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future.

Peter: The Untold True Story


Christopher Daniel Mechling - 2013
    The book tells the adventures of the real boy who came to London and became a well-known figure more than a hundred years before James Barrie penned his classic. Peter the Wild Boy lived in eighteenth century England, through the reigns of three kings (all named George), and achieved legendary status in his own lifetime. He was not only a popular figure, but also drew intense philosophical and scientific study, and was a subject of interest to literary figures such as Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift. Peter retained a youthful appearance throughout his life, and had a joyful, intuitive spirit that was both challenging and infectious. This imaginative dramatization of the life of Peter the Wild Boy captures the joy, innocence and fire of a bright, feral child living in the midst of the Age of Enlightenment. It is narrated by the girl who perhaps knew him best. The epic story of his life, spanning approximately seventy years, navigates a tumultuous and thoughtful period in English history, rich with characters. Peter is a magical, poignant tale full of humor, love, and courage in the face of life's difficulties. It will make you laugh, cry, dream and remember what it means to be young.

Beauty


Nancy Butcher - 2005
    Alas, Queen Veda loathes anyone whose beauty dares to rival her own—including her daughter.And despite Ana’s attempts to be plain to earn her mother’s affection,she’s sent away to the kingdom’s exclusive boarding school.At the Academy, Ana is devastated when her only friend abandons her for the popular girls. Isolated and alone, Ana resolves to look like a true princess to earn the acceptance she desires.But when she uncovers the dangerous secret that makes all of the girls at the Academy so gorgeous, just how far will Ana go to fit in?

Hook's Revenge


Heidi Schulz - 2014
    Her grandfather, on the other hand, intends to see her starched and pressed into a fine society lady. When she's sent to Miss Eliza Crumb-Biddlecomb's Finishing School for Young Ladies, Jocelyn's hopes of following in her father's fearsome footsteps are lost in a heap of dance lessons, white gloves, and way too much pink.So when Jocelyn receives a letter from her father challenging her to avenge his untimely demise at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile, she doesn't hesitate-here at last is the adventure she has been waiting for. But Jocelyn finds that being a pirate is a bit more difficult than she'd bargained for. As if attempting to defeat the Neverland's most fearsome beast isn't enough to deal with, she's tasked with captaining a crew of woefully untrained pirates, outwitting cannibals wild for English cuisine, and rescuing her best friend from a certain pack of lost children, not to mention that pesky Peter Pan who keeps barging in uninvited.The crocodile's clock is always ticking in Heidi Schulz's debut novel, a story told by an irascible narrator who is both dazzlingly witty and sharp as a sword. Will Jocelyn find the courage to beat the incessant monster before time runs out?

A Wolf at the Door: And Other Retold Fairy Tales


Ellen DatlowJaneen Webb - 2000
    Did you ever wonder how the dwarves felt after Snow White ditched them for the prince? Do you sometimes wish Cinderella hadn't been so helpless and petite? Prepare to see fairy tales from a completely new angle!

Undercover Princess


Connie Glynn - 2017
    Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life.Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty - a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she'll soon discover that reality doesn't always have the happily ever after you'd expect...A thrilling world of parties, politics and bad ass princesses, this is the first book in the brand new series THE ROSEWOOD CHRONICLES.

Jabberwocky


Daniel Coleman - 2011
    Elora hides behind her scars, feeling unlovable in a world that only confirms her doubts. Before Tjaden has a chance to convince her that scars don’t matter, an even more terrifying monster comes between them—the Jabberwock. Tjaden must risk his life not only to prove his love to Elora but to save her life.If the secrets of the vorpal sword fail, so will Tjaden.Originally published as a novella (39,000 words) in 2011, many readers asked for a longer version of that delved more deeply into the story and subplots. This current version of JABBERWOCKY is a full novel at 69,000 words. It has been completely rewritten and augmented with illustrations by E.K. Stewart-Cook. JABBERWOCKY is the first book in the series, and the characters carry over to HATTER, RED KNIGHT, etc, but they play minor roles. For that reason, JABBERWOCKY is Book 0 and HATTER is Book 1, as it is the launching point for the rest of the books in the series.