A Tale Dark and Grimm

Title: A Tale Dark and Grimm
Author: Adam Gidwitz
Published: November 2010
Synopsis from Goodreads:

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.

Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.


Hansel?

Hansel?

Hansel?

Sound familiar?

This is how I was introduced to Hansel and Gretel with Bugs Bunny meeting Witch Hazel in a gingerbread house tempting two fat German kids to come inside.

(if you have never seen it.... then you must be Amish.

After watching this I finally understood why everyone called my brother Hansel.

(what? U seriously think I have never heard that one before? LOLZ! I'm 33 years old and still hear it:P )

After watching this I finally understood why everyone called my brother Hansel. (what? U seriously think I have never heard that one before? LOLZ! I'm 32 years old and still hear it:P )

Anyways... I've never been a big fan of Hansel and Gretel (the fact that everyone asks where Hansel is has kinda killed it for me), plus the fact that it's German kids got to me too (IF you knew my last name you'd laugh lolz).

Why does Hansel and Gretel have to be like that? Cook the fat children, cook the old witch? B-O-R-I-N-G!!

If it were up to me, I'd make Hansel and Gretel cursed by the witch. Sure, she would still die at the end but her curse would fuse their bodies together and force them to go work at a circus freak show as siamese twins.

But that's just me ;)

Actually that's not just me.....

Someone else wanted to make the story a bit darker.

"A Tale Dark and Grimm" tells a much gorier tale, a not so happily ever through (I can't say after) story about what happened to our little chubbies after they escaped the mean bad witch (who is a cannibalistic baker in this story).

It's not for the weak of heart Twi-fic fans out there that complain when anyone gets a hangnail. But you know what? You're kids are gonna love it.







The author, who teaches 2nd grade, started telling this tale to a class of 1st graders. This made me raise my eyebrows a bit. There's blood in these pages!!! But you know what? Kids now a days can take anything. A little tale of blood, child eating clouds, dragons, and the devil are not going to warp them (all though be warned... Hansel does visit Hell and I think the author got a kick out of mentioning the name of the Devil's hometown. It's in there like 20 times. My son would read it just for that... so, there's something to think about).


I seriously think they could handle it :) Everyone loves a scary story that involves candy ;)

In my opinion, I think for the READ ALONE crowd this is more of a higher 4th grade book to starting 5th grade going all the way through middle school.

The kids who dig R.L. Stine.







I absolutely loved how gory it was. Oh the blood was awesome!! The fact that it wasn't sweet and sappy (until the end which upset me... but it probably would make kids happy) was most awesome. There's not detail about veins sticking out, blood thickening, and stuff like that... but you know someone was beheaded and you know that a little kid is chopping on a bad guy. I mean... what kid DOESN'T want to read about that?!!

OH! And the narration when the author butts into the story is freaking fabulous. There are 9 stories in this book (they all link up) and throughout the author gives his 2 cents about things. Like when someone looses a finger to unlock a door because they dropped a chicken bone... he pipes in about how kids shouldn't do that and then how they could have probably gotten another chicken bone easily. LOZ! Stuff like that made me laugh.





The beginning is fab too. It starts like this:

Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome. I know, I know. You don't believe me. I don't blame you. A little while ago, I wouldn't have believed it myself. Little girls in red caps skipping around in the forest? Awesome? I don't think so.

But then I started to read them. The real, Grimm ones. Very few little girls in red caps in those.

Well, there's one . But she got eaten.

Fabulous, right?







I totally recommend this book for people who are sick of sweet and sappy, want a happily ever after, and have kids.

I think in the end you'll be pleasantly surprised that your little darlings will want to read more once they get a taste of what's out there :)

Fairytales are cool when there's blood involved :) What? You don't agree?


Well, I know your kids will agree with me ;)

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