A Tale Dark & Grimm for Kids

Fridays have become my chance to pull great books out the archives that you may have missed when I first posted them.  Today I am revisiting a series that roots itself in the Grimm fairytales.  It eschews the softer and more palatable stories of today in favor of the cruel, more difficult stories which were perhaps more reminiscent of the arduousness of the times in which they were written.

This series is fun, dark and absolutely full of sarcasm.  In other words, perfect for kids.

Don't forget to Follow One Great Book on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or by email so that you don't miss a single story that will encourage your kids to read and love fairytales.  After all Einstein said, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairytales.  If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairytales."

Title:          A Tale Dark & Grimm

Author:     Adam Gidwitz

Target:      Grades 4-7

Series:        Yes

What this book is about:

This book is the story of Hansel and Gretel, pre-birth (their parents meeting and marriage) through their childhood. The story is told in the fashion of a true Grimm fairy tale, violent and bloody - really.  A faithful servant turned to stone, a father who cuts his children’s heads off, a baker who is really a cannibal, and a boy who morphs into a beast, are just a few of the stories in this book.

Why I love this book:

No, I am not crazy, nor blood hungry, nor a lover of the gruesome.  In fact I am fairly squeamish!  What makes this story an absolute pleasure, and downright funny, is an ever present narrator who consistently lightens the mood and casts the stories in a whole new light.  As the narrator says “if such things bother you, we should probably stop right now.”  But don’t.  This story is too good.  

Ultimately, the story is about family and forgiveness and our cheeky narrator gets us there, but not without some bloodshed.

Who this book is for:

I would keep this book away from the most sensitive of children, but other than that it is entertaining ride.  Children have been drawn to the Grimm fairy tales for a century.  “Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.” our author would say.  The narrator certainly provides the levity to make this story truly enjoyable.

Final thoughts:

Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: A Tale Dark & Grimm.  A portion of each purchase will go to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.