Fairly Fairy Tales

November 22, 2010
A small boy isn't quite ready for bed, so his mother runs through six familiar fairy tales in checklist form. The Three Little Pigs is boiled down to "Sticks?" "Yes." "Straw?" "Yes." "Bricks?" "Yes." "Solar panels?" "Nooooo!" Rushing through the bedtime canon isn't a new idea, but Codell (Sahara Special) and Chavarri (Santa Goes Green) add a twist: Mom can't resist wrapping up each story with an off-kilter nod to contemporary culture. Thus, the pigs' brick house gains solar panels and a surrounding community that looks like hipster Brooklyn, while Cinderella and the prince dance underneath a disco ball, with wardrobes straight out of Saturday Night Fever. Chavarri renders the traditional fairy tale elements in tidy, pretty spot illustrations, and the modern-day variations in freewheeling, comically detailed spreads (Red Riding Hood gets her nails done at a salon, while the woodsman gives one wolf a shampoo). Although it's unlikely that Mom's raucous and silly improvisations would have such a soporific effect in real life, the boy's repeated protestations should ring true for those who demand their stories be told the "right" way. Ages 4–8.

December 1, 2010
Busy illustrations, humorously fractured fairy tales and a simple pattern that encourages audience participation ensure that this will see repeat readings. Each set of two double-page spreads is dedicated to a different fairy tale: Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks. But these are not your traditional stories. "Sticks? / Yes. / Straw? / Yes. / Bricks? / Yes. / Solar panels? / Nooooo!" A turn of the page unveils an unconventional scene—brick house outfitted with solar panels, wolf campaigning for wind energy and pigs working in their organic garden: "Well, maybe." Other wackiness includes wolves at a beauty salon, Jack's giant as a waiter in a spaghetti restaurant and a disco Cinderella. By beginning with Codell's creative less-is-more setup, Chavarri's illustrations end by stealing the show. Her brightly colored digital artwork is full of so many funny details that children will find something new with each re-reading. This will certainly keep kids on their toes as they try to guess what is coming—no maybes about that. (Picture book. 4-8)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

February 1, 2011

K-Gr 4-Bedtime stories take a twist in this attempt to shake up traditional tales. When a child says "no" to bedtime, fairy tales are offered in order to encourage sleep. Each tale is condensed into three familiar elements from the story ("Bread crumbs? Yes./Gingerbread? Yes./Witch? Yes.") and then a fourth term that is obviously not original to the story ("Pinata? NOOOOO!" says the child). The turn of the page suggests a "Well, maybe" scenario. Unfortunately, the tales are most often not "laugh-out-loud" as promised by the book jacket, but rather border on the absurd. For example, when Cinderella is presented as "Fairy godmother? Yes./Pumpkin coach? Yes./Glass slipper? Yes./Disco ball? NOOOOO!," the spread that follows features Cinderella with her John Travolta-clone Prince Charming dancing under the disco ball. The digital illustrations have some charm but hold little appeal for young children. Some terms, such as "solar panels" on the three pigs' house, will require explanation, and the conceit works best with youngsters already familiar with the stories. As an original approach to fairy tales, this one fairly misses the mark.-C. J. Connor, Campbell County Public Library, Cold Spring, KY

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2011
Preschool-G Kids current on their fairy tales will appreciate the whimsical way Codell spins the basics by adding one oddball element to each story told by a mother to her recalcitrant boy at bedtime. In the tale of the Three Little Pigs, for instance, solar panels make an appearance along with the straw and bricks. After the boy checks off the tried-and-true elements of Little Red Riding Hoodred hood, wolf, and grandmahe has to pause to consider if shampoo can figure into the plot: NOOOOO! Well, maybe. Chavarris colorful, almost wordless two-page spreads imagine how the twists impact each story and are packed with details delighted readers will pore over. At Grandmas Beauty Salon, for instance, several wolves, one wearing a Big N Bad T-shirt, are getting their fur pampered. Baskets of goodies are for sale, and Grandma is painting the heroines nails with Lil Red polish. This fun outing will be a surefire winner whenever its readbedtime or not.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)