By Jennifer of Maricopa County Library District
Gail Carson Levine is the middle grade queen of fairytale retellings, so many of us fell in love with her Newbery Award-winning book “Ella Enchanted.” If you have exhausted Carson’s catalog, we have some great suggestions full of elements of classic fairytales, spirited characters, and fantastical world-building for you to get lost in!
“Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel” by Megan Morrison
This series, beginning with a retelling of Rapunzel’s story, also features Cinderella and the Frog Prince living within the magical world of Tyme. While each character has their own book, you might see them pop up in each other’s stories! These stories expand on familiar characters within a world full of adventure.
“(Fairly) True Tales” series by Liesl Shurtliff
How about a fairytale without the princess? Starting with “Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin,” this series follows familiar characters with expanded backstories and new perspectives. Characters like Rumpelstiltskin, Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and Little Red Riding Hood share a world and show up in each other’s stories.
“Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones
This upper middle grade classic book series features original characters but has all the elements of a classic fairytale: curses, far-off lands, adventure and a sweet, charming romance.
ABOUT JENNIFER:
Jennifer is a children’s librarian whose main job now is to create Summer Reading magic for Maricopa County. She loves to read mysteries and fantasies, and her favorite book growing up was “Ella Enchanted.”
