By Michael Cunningham

The Short Take:

Cunningham reimagines beloved fairytales, exploring what happens beyond the “happy ever after,” or what came before, or why things occurred in the first place. He reveals the morals, motives, and misadventures other tellings leave out.

Why?

This Pulitzer Prize winning writer teases new meaning out of old tales, probing their psychology, giving them new resonance, wrapping them in contemporary attitudes. Each one is completely unique, except for the writing, which is consistently delicious.

The sources include the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, the results are sometimes even scarier — but for different reasons entirely.

Plus, the wonderful illustrations by Yuko Shimizu make this book even more delightful.

My only complaint is that I wanted more. Otherwise, I was throughly enchanted.

A Little Plot:

That doesn’t really apply here. But you will find retellings of stories like Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and others. One that really got to me was a new look at Beauty and the Beast. Why had I never thought of the story that way before? (shivers)

For more about the author, click here.