I've been a fan of fractured fairy tales ever since our class did a unit on them in 3rd or 4th grade and our teacher challenged us to write our own. (I wrote a version of The Little Red Hen where the hen is really the lazy one and makes the other animals do all the work but still eats the bread herself. Haha!) I love how authors can take stories that have been around for generations and give them a fresh and modern feel, making these classic stories more accessible to today's generation of kids. There are tons out there, but here are six of my favorites.
1.
The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat
In this version of the classic story, the three pigs take martial arts classes so they can defend themselves against the Big Bad Wolf. It's written in catchy rhyming verse with several lines that make my kids laugh out loud (like when the first pig tells the wolf to "Get out of my hut, or I'll kick your big butt!") Despite it's lighthearted feel,
The Three Ninja Pigs teaches a valuable lesson...hard work and tenacity will always pay off. Be sure to also check out
Ninja Red Riding Hood by the same author/illustrator team.
2.
Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Susan Guevara
This book is a such a gem. I love how it intermixes Spanish words with the English in a way that kids who don't know Spanish but know the story will have no problem understanding the foreign words. I also love Guevara's bright illustrations and their depiction of modern Latino culture. This would be a great read-aloud for younger grades, especially for classes with mixed language speakers. I can see Spanish-speaking kids' faces lighting up at hearing a fairy tale that incorporates their own language and culture!
3.
The Three Triceratops Tuff by Steven Shaskan
The story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff always puzzled me a bit. It doesn't teach any kind of moral, and I always wondered why the biggest goat didn't just cross the bridge first and make quick work of the troll. But while this version doesn't answer those questions either, it's automatically better than the original because, well, DINOSAURS. Way more fun than some goats and an ugly troll! Other than the character and setting swaps,
Three Triceratops Tuff stays pretty true to the original story. Shaskan's illustrations are simple yet engaging; I like how he gives each of the Triceratops brothers a distinct personality. I love reading this one aloud and giving each character a different voice, especially the deep, menacing growl of the Tyrannosaurus Rex!
4.
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
My family loves Mo Willems (who doesn't?), but this book might be my personal favorite of his. Like the rest of his books, it's hilarious. However, unlike Willem's Pigeon series where the humor targets young kids, a lot of the humor in this book goes right over my preschoolers' heads...but my husband and I laugh our heads off! Just to give you an idea, it starts out with, "Once upon a time there were three dinosaurs. Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur...and some other dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway." It kills me! And even though my kids don't always get why it's funny, they still laugh with me and want to read this book over and over again. And again, dinosaurs just make everything better. :)
5.
Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by Diane Greenseid
As you might guess from the title,
Waynetta and the Cornstalk is Jack and the Beanstalk, but with a female protagonist and a Southwestern flair. This book is SO much fun. With phrases like, "purty as a bluebonnet" and "you must be chuckle-headed girl!" it is almost impossible to read without breaking into a Texan drawl. It is also hilarious...I laughed out loud when instead of a hen that golden eggs, the giant has a longhorn cow that drops golden cowpatties! The illustrator's use of warm colors and thick brush strokes add to the Southwestern charm of the story. But my favorite part of this story is that Waynetta (unlike Jack in the original) is hardworking and honest. The giant was the actually the one who stole the longhorn, lasso, and bucket from Waynetta's ma in the first place, making him the thief and not Waynetta. And rather than living a life of luxury on the gold and magic, Waynetta and her ma use the golden cowpats to buy more cattle and then work hard to rebuild their ranch. And if you love
Waynetta and the Cornstalk, Helen Ketteman has a whole slew of Texas fractured fairy tales, including
Armadilly Chili (The Little Red Hen),
The Three Little Gators (The Three Little Pigs), and
Bubba, the Cowboy Prince (Cinderella). They are all great!
6.
Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Meg Hunt
Space. Spunky heroine. Superb illustrations. There were so many things I liked about this book! In this version of the story, Cinderella is a spaceship mechanic who catches the eye of the prince by fixing his space ship. When he invites her to the space ball, instead of a glass slipper, she leaves behind her magic socket wrench.
Interstellar Cinderella is written in rhyming verse, which I liked for the most part, except it did seem to skip ahead in a couple places. But since almost everyone is familiar with the story of Cinderella, I can forgive the minor gaps in the story line...especially when everything else about the book is fantastic.
When sharing these books with my kids, I like to first read the classic version and then introduce a fractured version. They immediately begin comparing and contrasting the two stories, which is a key comprehension skill. I love when learning happens naturally!
What are your favorite fractured fairy tales to share with your kids?
