Storybook Favorites

One of my favorites was definitely A Grim Look at Grimm Tales. The introduction was concise and intriguing. I liked that the author incorporated well-known fairytales into a modern setting. At first, I thought the stories would focus on the princesses gathered at Rapunzel’s tower. Instead, the Storybook cleverly told the stories of characters from Grimm tales as they confront their stories’ creators on a talk show. Throughout the scenes, the princesses gossip and open up. I liked the dramatic talk-show setup as a way to retell the stories. The author combined humor and real-world situations that the modern reader can identify with. The end result was very entertaining!

Another storybook I found very interesting was at the top of the page, Legends of Fire by Austin Lockard. I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and use of illustrations. The introduction was descriptive and set the scene well. The author paid close attention to detail throughout the Storybook. It was very impressive that the author could get across different accents through his writing. It was also interesting that he presented dragon stories from around the world and tied them together with a group of hunters conversing in a tavern.

Image from the Storybook Legends of Fire. Eragon. Source: Fan Pop

I also really liked Tales From the Source because it gave a unique perspective on well-known stories. It also changed up the narrating format. One story was told as if reporting a crime, another as if giving an interview, another as if on a talk-show, and finally one as if an inanimate object is telling a bedtime story to his grandchildren. All of the formats were entertaining and worked well for the specific story presented. In each case, the author described perspectives that are not explored in the original rendition of the stories. I always find this type of perspective interesting, and this author did a good job.