Fairytale retellings are some of my favorite pieces of literature to read. Many that I have come across remain original and clever, despite being based off of well-known tales. I’ve listed some of my favorites below. Let’s take a look!
#1. The Frog Prince Continued
This story interweaves not just the tale of The Princess and The Frog, but many others as well, like Hansel and Gretel and Snow White. I particularly liked how the story included the villains of these tales. The unique artwork, with its occasional subtleties and Easter eggs also kept me engaged.
#2. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The artwork in this one didn’t have a very broad color palette, but I still enjoyed the pictures as a child. I also appreciated the humor in the language given by the wolf as he makes himself out to be the victim in the story.
#3. The Three Little Wolves and The Big Bad Pig
I thought this story was a clever spin on the classic tale that took a more modern twist. The author turns the tale on its head by making everything an opposite, including the effectiveness of the materials the wolves used to build their many homes to protect themselves from the Big Bad Pig.
#4. The Paper Bag Princess
This tale reminds me of life in general when a girl likes a boy who doesn’t like her back and how it should not stop her from being herself, especially if she is clever enough to thwart a dragon.
#5. The Five Chinese Brothers
This tale is based off of an old Chinese folktale called The Ten Brothers. I remember reading this as a child and was horrified at the many methods of execution the people used to try and kill the main character, yet I enjoyed how each brother outsmarted the executioners through their individual talents.
#6. Princess Smartypants
This story shows feminism at its finest as we follow an unconventional princess who just wants to remain single and take care of her pets in her castle. However, after her parents admonish her, she decides to put forth challenges for each potential suitor to accomplish.
#7. Prince Cinders
A flip-flopped tale of Cinderella, this story manages to add some new twists that include a clumsy fairy godmother, a giant monkey, and some missing trousers.
Ashley Weaver 