Fractured Fairy Tales for Tweens
by Devon A. Corneal
Little kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from subversive authors taking liberties with the classics. There are some amazing reimagined fairy tales for tween readers too. Check out this list of snarky princesses, scary forests, dark forces, and sympathetic villains in the world of fractured classics.
-
Pages & Co.: The Lost Fairy Tales
Available from:The second book in the bestselling Pages & Co. series takes readers to Paris with Tilly and Oscar. They wander into a book of French fairytales and find the stories in chaos. Someone has scrambled the stories together, and the kids must stop whoever is responsible before they create a bigger disaster.
Also available from: -
Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom
Available from:Indian mythology combines with adventure in this dazzling series about a young girl whose drawings come to life. When she gets sucked into the world inside her sketchbook, Kiki must figure out how to defeat an ancient god, save the kingdom, and find her way back home.
Also available from: -
Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
Available from:Poor Rump, he’s got an unfortunate name, which doesn’t earn him any friends in the magic kingdom. But with his best friend Red Riding Hood and a newly discovered talent for turning straw into gold, things might be looking up. Or not.
Also available from: -
A Tale Dark & Grimm
Available from:Readers who enjoy the original, darker versions of Grimm’s fairytales will love this story about Hansel and Gretel as they wander in and out of several classic stories. The siblings’ magic-packed adventures continue in In a Glass Grimmly and The Grimm Conclusion. Kids who can’t get enough of this series should also check out the Netflix animated series!
Also available from: -
Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend
Available from:When Winnie uses her grandmother’s recipe book to make mooncakes for a school bake sale, she expects a tasty treat. Instead, she awakens an ancient monster that throws her world into chaos. This highly readable series opener based on Chinese mythology combines magic, food, and adventure.
Also available from: -
Honest June
Available from:June is a stressed-out middle-schooler who tells little white lies to keep her friends and family happy. But when her fairy godmother bestows a truthfulness spell on her, June starts delivering brutal truths to everyone—against her will! This fractured fairy tale is an excellent pick for fans of Ella Enchanted.
Also available from: -
Forever Neverland
Send your young fairytale lover to Neverland for a magical escapade filled with pirates, monsters, and imagination. Wendy Darling grew up a long time ago, and Peter Pan wants to take her great-great-grandchildren back to Neverland with him. Clover and Fergus fly headlong into the adventure of a lifetime with this modern reimagining of the Peter Pan story.
Preorder from: -
A Wolf for a Spell
Available from:Baba Yaga switches places with a wolf in this immersive fractured fairy tale for tweens. Zima (the wolf trapped in Baba Yaga’s body) learns of a threat against her forest and teams up with a young girl to save it. Readers who enjoy stories with magic, animals, and witches will find this book irresistible.
Also available from: -
Snow & Rose
Available from:This story is a gorgeous fairy tale retelling by Emily Winfield Martin, the creator of The Wonderful Things You Will Be. Snow and Rose move to a small cottage near the woods with their mother when their family falls into poverty. As the sisters explore the woods, they discover magic, danger, and a world of wonder. Stunning full-color illustrations throughout the book make this enchanting fairy tale a must-read.
Also available from: -
Thornwood
Available from:Have you ever wondered what happened after Sleeping Beauty woke up from her 100 years of slumber? This fractured fairy tale follows her younger sister, Princess Briony, as she searches for the real reason behind the spindle’s curse. Pick up the companion novel Glass Slippers to discover what happens after Cinderella gets her happy ending.
Also available from:
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022.