Ever wonder what would happen if Red Riding Hood weren\u2019t quite so dense, or the pigs got smarter, or Cinderella stood up to her evil stepmother?<\/p>\n
Timeless fairy tales are timeless for a reason, but every so often, I need something different. That\u2019s where fractured fairy tales come in.<\/p>\n
Jon Scieszka gave me my first glimpse into the devilish world of reimagined fairy tales with The True Story of the Three Little Pigs<\/em><\/a>, and I used it to stage a protest with a group of kids at a children\u2019s theater. These things happen.<\/p>\n If you want to be equally subversive, check out these wonderfully surprising takes on the classics.<\/p>\n no no 9780670844876 The Stinky Cheese Man<\/i> by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith <\/p>\n This award-winning classic is laugh-out-loud funny! Jon Scieszka retells and twists age-old fairytales we all love while breaking the fourth wall. With stories like Cinderummpelstiltskin<\/i> and The Really Ugly Duckling<\/i> your young readers will be holding in their giggles as they get to know all these quirky and unique characters. <\/p>\n 9781682634561 Three Little Vikings<\/i> by Bethan Woollvin <\/p>\n The creator of Little Red<\/i><\/a> puts a feminist twist on a new fairy tale in this action-packed picture book about three Viking girls. They notice signs of a troll wreaking havoc in their village and go to their chieftain for help. When the chieftain insists nothing is wrong, the girls take matters into their own hands.<\/p>\n 9781536238815 Doctor Fairytale<\/i> by Catherine Jacob, illustrated by Hoang Giang <\/p>\n Rapunzel is suffering from a headache and Cinderella has a blistered toe. Good thing Doctor Fairytale and her canine sidekick are there to treat these ailing storybook characters. Flawless rhymes and unique illustrations combine for a delightfully fun twist on all things fairy tale. <\/p>\n 9780399163548 Ninja Red Riding Hood<\/i> by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat <\/p>\n Corey Rosen Schwartz is a master at weaving together martial arts and familiar fairy tales to create extraordinarily engaging, funny, and unforgettable new stories. The wolf always learns his lesson, but in surprising ways, and don\u2019t be shocked when Red Riding Hood and her Granny show off their karate skills. Can\u2019t get enough? Check out Rosen Schwartz\u2019s The Three Ninja Pigs<\/i><\/a> as well. Wolves don\u2019t have it so easy anymore. <\/p>\n 9781101918982 Cinderella and the Furry Slippers <\/i> by Davide Cali, illustrated by Raphaelle Barbanegre <\/p>\n Does your child love The Paper Bag Princess<\/i> by Robert Munsch? If so, they\u2019ll appreciate this fractured fairy tale! When no prince shows up to save her from a life of servitude, Cinderella takes matters into her own hands. But her fairy godmother isn\u2019t what she expected, and neither is the castle, the prince, or anything else. So Cinderella does what any girl in her situation would \u2014 she saves herself. <\/p>\n 9781680102734 Look Out, Wolf! There’s a Beast in Your Book<\/i> by Jude Evans, illustrated by Lucy Semple <\/p>\n What happens when you\u2019re not the scariest thing in the forest anymore? You become the hero. At least, that\u2019s what the big, bad wolf does when the three little pigs ask for his help getting rid of a monster. This fractured fairy tale will become an instant favorite with its unexpected twists, humor, and interactive flaps to lift.<\/p>\n 9780763641689 Interrupting Chicken<\/i> by David Ezra Stein <\/p>\n Anyone familiar with the particular agony that can come from reading to children before bed will appreciate Interrupting Chicken<\/i> and its excitable, but well-intentioned title character who just wants to save her favorite fairy tales from their usual endings.<\/p>\n 9781536227802 The Wolf’s Story<\/i> by Toby Forward, illustrated by Izhar Cohen <\/p>\n Read the story of Little Red Riding Hood<\/i> from the wolf\u2019s point of view. According to the wolf, he and Grandma had an excellent work arrangement until her granddaughter showed up. Subtle humor and visual clues in the illustrations make this picture book a must-read for fairy tale fans.<\/p>\n 9780375841958 Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty?<\/i> by David Levinthal, illustrated by Jon Nickle <\/p>\n Humpty Dumpty\u2019s fall is one of several fairy tale crimes being investigated by a blunt police frog named Binky, who looks like he walked straight out of a \u201840s noir film. In Levinthal\u2019s world, Goldilocks is a serial offender, Hansel and Gretel go free after claiming self-defense, and Humpty Dumpty? Well, let me tell you \u2014 it wasn\u2019t an accident. <\/p>\n 9780670827596 The True Story of the Three Little Pigs<\/i> by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith <\/p>\n No one reworks fairy tales like Jon Scieszka. He\u2019s a genius. Clever, sly, and very, very funny, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs<\/i> is on my All-Time Top Ten list of children\u2019s books. It takes a fairy tale, turns it on its head, and makes you root for the bad guy. It\u2019s perfect. If you\u2019ve never heard the wolf\u2019s side of the story, it\u2019s time you did. Equally amazing is The Frog Prince, Continued<\/i><\/a> which looks at the realities of \u201chappily ever after.\u201d What happens when the princess is a nag and the prince has some swampy habits? You\u2019ll never look at fairy tales the same way again.<\/p>\n 9780735269910 Too Many Pigs and One Big Bad Wolf<\/i> by Davide Cali, illustrated by Marianna Balducci <\/p>\n Readers who love interactive stories will get a kick out of this hilarious retelling of The Three Little Pigs<\/i>. When the big, bad wolf skips to the end of the story and gobbles up the pigs, the reader demands a do-over. Kids and adults will love counting up the pigs in this darkly humorous story. <\/p>\n 9780399168673 The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo <\/i> by Laura Murray, illustrated by Mike Lowery <\/p>\n Run, run, as fast as you can \u2014 to the zoo! When the gingerbread man gets separated from his class on a trip to the zoo, he\u2019ll have to follow the clues to catch up. If your child likes this book, they\u2019ll enjoy reading the rest of The Gingerbread Man<\/i> series<\/a> by Laura Murray. <\/p>\n 9781680100433 Three Little Pugs and the Big, Bad Cat <\/i> by Becky Davies, illustrated by Carolina Attia <\/p>\n Pet lovers will adore this humorous spin on The Three Little Pigs<\/i>. When their mother sends them out into the world, three adorable pugs will have to build their homes and learn to take care of themselves. But trouble slinks into their lives in the form of a fluffy, white cat. With bright illustrations and the cutest pugs you\u2019ve ever seen, children will want to read this picture book again and again.<\/p>\n 9781623543785 Princess and the Peas<\/i> by Rachel Himes <\/p>\n Rachel Himes turns the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea<\/i> on its head in this Southern retelling. When her son needs a wife, Ma Sally puts the potential brides\u2019 cooking skills to the test. But when a woman named Princess wins the son\u2019s hand in marriage, she flips the script and makes him<\/i> pass a test as well.<\/p>\n 9781368066556 Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy Series by Kallie George, illustrated by Lorena Alvarez <\/p>\n This delightful series will delight young Disney fans! Follow along as fairy godmothers-in-training learn all there is to know about magic, from casting spells to caring for pet dragons, at Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy. <\/p>\n Ever wonder what would happen if Red Riding Hood weren\u2019t quite so dense, or the pigs got smarter, or Cinderella stood up to her evil stepmother?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":86160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[53,60,74,99,313],"coauthors":[26],"class_list":["post-1535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-animals","tag-humor","tag-fairy-tales","tag-retellings","tag-princesses","ages_stages-pre-k","ages_stages-growing-reader"],"yoast_head":"\nYou might also like:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nEditor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2025.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"