Fractured Fairy Tales

Books for Readers in the Primary Grades

A fractured fairy tale is designed to be humorous by changing the story in an unexpected way, like altering a character, or adding modern language and events. Readers of all ages enjoy these tales regardless of grade level.

To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!

The Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka.
RC 34881.
The Frog Prince (the frog who was turned into a prince when kissed by a princess) did not live happily ever after—at least not right away. He and the Princess made each other so miserable that he longed to become a frog again and went searching for a witch who could turn him back. For grades K-3 and older readers.

Goldilocks Returns by Lisa Campbell Ernst.
BR 51211 or WOD 491.
30 years after Goldilocks first met the three bears, she returns to fix up their cottage and soothe her guilty conscience. For grades K-3.

Hansel and Gretel by James Marshall.
RC 32716.
An irreverent retelling of the Grimm brothers' classic tale in which Hansel and Gretel, deserted in the forest, come upon a house made of cookies, cakes, and candy, and occupied by a wicked witch who likes to eat plump children for her dinner. For grades K-3.

Jack Kent's Hokus Pokus Bedtime Book by Jack Kent.
RC 18362.
Five familiar fairy tales rewritten with tongue-in-cheek endings. Include "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," "The Frog Prince," "Toads and Diamonds," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "The Golden Goose." For grades 2-4.

Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne.
RC 52337.
In this version of the classic tale, a girl climbs to the top of a huge beanstalk, where she uses her quick wits to outsmart a monstrous giant and to make a fortune for her mother and herself. For grades K-3 and older readers.

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges.
BR 13061.
When the Little Red Hen wakes up from her nap, she scratches through her cupboard, finds a can of tomato sauce, and decides to make a pizza. But she is missing some ingredients, and her friends duck, cat, and dog are too busy to help—until the pizza is done. Print/Braille. For grades K-3.

Little Red Riding Hood by Lisa Campbell Ernst.
RC 44438.
A little girl living at the edge of the prairie always wears a jacket with a red hood when she rides her bicycle. One hot summer day she decides to take Grandma some freshly baked muffins and lemonade. Along the way, she is tricked by a wolf, who gets to Grandma's house first. But the wolf has quite a surprise awaiting him. For grades K-3.

Once Upon a Golden Apple by Jean Little.
BR 9950.
"Once upon a time" is how most fairy tales begin, but not this one. And much to the amusement of the three bears, the seven dwarfs, and even the gingerbread boy, that isn't the end of it. Print/Braille. For grades 2-4.

The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli.
RC 36636.
Jade, a female frog, meets the prince when he first becomes a frog. Pin (as the prince calls himself, hampered in his speech by a long, fat tongue), is handsome but strangely ignorant of the joys and dangers of being a frog. So Jade teaches him the ropes. Later, when a passing princess accidentally kisses him, he disappears from Jades' life, leaving her with 50 tadpoles to raise alone. For grades 3-6.

Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl.
BR 11568.
Retelling in verse of six well-known fairy tales featuring surprise endings in place of the traditional happily-ever-after. For grades 3-6.

Sleeping Ugly by Jane Yolen.
LP 50134.
When beautiful Princess Miserella, Plain Jane, and a fairy fall under a sleeping spell, a prince undoes the spell in a surprising way. For grades K-3.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieska.
LP 50096 or RC 38039.
The author calls these tales "not quite" fairy tales, or fairly stupid tales. Included are "The Princess and the Bowling Ball," "The Other Frog Prince," "Cinderumpelstiltskin," and "The Stinky Cheese Man." For grades K-3 and older readers.

Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird by Vivian Vande Velde.
BR 10739.
Humorous reworkings of 13 folktales by the Brothers Grimm. In "The Granddaughter," Granny and the wolf find Little Red Riding Hood so disagreeable, they both plot against her. After the oldest Billy Goat Gruff disposes of the troll in "The Bridge," he knocks both brothers into the water out of spite. For grades 3-6.