Fairy Tale Reimagined: Bean Stalker and Other Hilarious Scary Tales

Bean Stalker and Other Hilarious Scary Tales
by Kiersten White
Scholastic Press
2017
240 pages
ISBN: 9780545940603

Publication date: Available July 25, 2017

Who doesn't love a catty narrator who knows everything and drops hints for the readers along the way? Kiersten White takes mid-grade readers on a romp through some of our best loved fairy tales twisting the stories so that they are darker, gloomier, and scarier and much, much more fun.

Rapunzel with her locks of hair "locked" in a tower awaits her prince. The bumbling prince manages to scale the side of the castle tower and meets a glowering Rapunzel who points out the obvious--there is a door! On the other side of the tower if  the prince had simply walked around it, he would not have  needed to climb her hair!

Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, The Princess and the Pea, Jack and the Beanstalk and other tales are twisted into comedy gold by White. The wood represents everything magical, scary, strange, weird, and possible. The narrator teases the readers, "No? You....want to go into the deepest, darkest woods? But nothing good ever happens there! Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you."  The Huntsman in the Snow White story is as dopey, loopy, and stupid as a comic clown could be.  The queen writes her instructions in a note and gives it to her Huntsman with the hope that he will somehow carry out her wishes to kill the "creature" in the bag (Snow White). The Huntsman nods and smiles and never tells the queen that he can't read. Comedy ensues.

Laugh out loud funny, Bean Stalker and Other Hilarious Scary Tales is my early pick for the Texas Bluebonnet List and likely to be in the running for the Newbery. Biting satire, diabolic dialog, hilarious hi-jinks, and cunning characters make this book a true charmer. This is a Scholastic Book and bound to be on fall book fair. It will probably be the bestseller of the year!

The cover design is appealing and a trick for your eyes. What do you see? Look carefully. There is more than one way to "see" this cover. The cover alone will sell this book. Simply brilliant marketing!

Highly, highly recommended grade 5-up. Strong readers grade 4 will also enjoy  this book but may not understand some of the puns or  digs. Pick this one up and be delighted!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Professional Pick: The Handbook for Storytellers

The Handbook for Storytellers
by Judy Freeman and Caroline Feller Bauer
ALA Editions
2015
394 pages with subject, author and title  indices
ISBN: 9780838911006

The Handbook for Storytellers is a must-have how to book for storytellers.

This handy how-to compendium is  for seasoned storytellers or beginning tale tellers and is bound to become the most highlighted, tagged, bookmarked, post-it noted, and dog-eared well-loved volume on the book shelf. Judy Freeman has left no stone unturned. She has included numerous well-loved and lesser known stories that can be used with children of all ages. Her helpful hints include ideas of using props including kites, textiles, dolls, puzzles and toys. Ideas for gifts for children to take away from an event  include uncooked pasta to remember Strega Nona, dried peas in remembrance of "The Princess and the Pea," or a piece of rope to remember  The Lion & the Mouse.

I was fortunate enough to attend a day-long session where  Freeman."presented" As a presenter, she came equipped with literally thousands of props, books, instruments, artifacts, and odds and ends. Out of seemingly magical trunks, she created an experience for the audience that this educator/librarian will never forget. A child lucky enough to see Freeman perform would be mesmerized. Storytelling is a time honored tradition that should be embraced and practiced in every library, classroom and children's program. There is nothing as magical as listening--truly listening-- to a wild tale and creating that "movie" in one's mind.

Folklore stories and trickster tales, myths, legends, fairy tales, and modern day versions of old tales are included in the book. Freeman also adds "Favorite Stories To Tell"--the favorites selected by Bauer and Freeman out of thousands of books and stories they both have read/learned. These are listed by subject for easier accessibility.  Stories are listed by title, author, and publication and contain a brief synopsis. The indices in the back of the book also allow storytellers to find what they need. The preface by Freeman is a beautiful testament to the two authors' friendship and collaboration. Freeman expresses her love and gratitude for the dynamo she knew as Caroline Feller Bauer. I never met Bauer, but I've seen Judy perform, and it's a gift. If you ever have a chance to attend one of her seminars, you will have a front row seat to something that will change your presentations forever.

I love this book! It will come in handy in any program. My copy already has tons of post-it notes sticking out of it. Post-it note inventor, thank you!

Highly, highly recommended for any librarian, teacher, minister, public speaker, presenter, counselor, well, just about everyone!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)