“…spelling matters.”
Once upon a time, a girl skipped into the forest and became a zombie.
Wait, no, that’s not how this story is supposed to go. Let’s try again.
Once upon a time, a boy did a horrible job as a sheep-sitter and burned his tongue on stolen pie.
No, children in these stories are always good and virtuous. From the top.
Once upon a time, a king and queen tried to find a princess for their son to marry, and he wound up fleeing from a group of very hairy vampires.
Hmmm…
What about, once upon a time, a bunch of fairy tales got twisted around to be completely hilarious, a tiny bit icky, and delightfully spooky scarytales… in other words, exactly what fairy tales were meant to be. Grab some flaming torches, maybe don’t accept that bowl of pease porridge, and get ready for a wickedly fun ride with acclaimed author Kiersten White and fairy tales like you’ve never heard them before.
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Personal Thoughts:
Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales is a twisted fairy tale collection for kids. It’s scary, fun, creative and delightful.
Having read the first two books of Kiersten White’s The Conqueror’s Saga, I am eager to try her other works. So when I get the chance to read this latest novel, Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales, I just couldn’t pass that chance. Add the fact that the book promise a delightful read with all the fantasy and retelling, I just have to read the book.
In Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales, Kiersten White not only turn the familiar fairy tale characters to their twisted version, but also managed to make their story surprisingly dark and fun at the same time. In here, will get Kiersten White’s fun side with her twisted sense of humor. Though I have to admit, as much as I enjoy this one, I have few reservations, especially considering the book is for kids. So fair warning, the book is bit spooky and there is one off-putting scene, especially if you have a vivid imagination like me.
The familiar characters we all love such as Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White and others get a new, twisted and frightening look. Snow White is a vampire, Red Riding Hood is a zombie, Goldilocks is a thug, and Cinderella and Prince Charring are pyromaniacs. There are also twisted version of kids rhymes in each chapters, and sketches made by Karl Kwasny that adds creativity as well as balance to the creepy story.
Overall, Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales is a gorgeously looking, delightful, fun and spooky middle-grade fiction. Kiersten White not only manage to make the classic fairytales new but also bring the familiar characters into a different light. With horror, humor, fantasy, Middle-grade readers will surely enjoy this one. A perfect gift for kids during Holloween season.
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* This review is based on an ARC received from the publisher, Scholastic Press Philippines in exchange for my honest opinion about the book.
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