Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. This week’s topic–ten fairytale retellings–didn’t seem that inspiring to me. I feel like I don’t read a lot of fairytale retellings. But suddenly books started popping into my mind and before I knew it, I had a list.
Beauty by Robin McKinley. One of the books I’ve reread most in my life. Beauty and the Beast is probably my favorite fairy tale, and McKinley’s version is so compelling.
The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. Is Robin Hood a fairy tale? Maybe not, but The Outlaws of Sherwood is another of my most-read ever titles.
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner. So deserving of the Caldecott, this metafictional retelling has the pigs leaving their story and creating a new adventure.
Hansel and Gretel by Rachel Isadora. Genuinely disturbing with gorgeous cut-paper illustrations.
Red Riding Hood by James Marshall. Really, any of Marshall’s goofy fairytale reltellings could make my list, but I think Red Riding Hood has an extra soupcon of silly.
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy. All of the Prince Charmings band together to save the world. Probably the favorite series I’ve ever read aloud to my son.
That Is Not a Good Idea by Mo Willems. The little chicks sound the warning to no avail!
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale. Such a great gateway graphic novel for many students in my Children’s Literature courses.
The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-Be by Mini Grey. Clever and smart and so funny, like all Mini Grey stories.
Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems by Marilyn Singer. I still don’t know how she pulled this off!
And a bonus: my favorite fairytale poem, “Snow White’s Acne” by Denise Duhamel
What books would make it on your list?
the dirigible plum 
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