Ebook A Tale Dark and Grimm Adam Gidwitz Dan Santat 8601400315019 Books

Product details Age Range 10 and up Grade Level 5 - 6 Lexile Measure 690L (What's this?) Paperback 288 pages Publisher Puffin Books; Reprint edition (August 18, 2011) Language English ISBN-10 0142419672

A Tale Dark and Grimm Adam Gidwitz Dan Santat 8601400315019 Books Reviews

• First, if your kid likes Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, the Hunger Games, or other movies with some violence in it, then this book will be ok for them to read. If not, don't buy it. I say that because it is gory and bloody -- there are people getting heads chopped off, cooked alive in an oven, taken to Hell, and a dragon eating villagers. With that said, the author spins an entertaining tale (I finished the book in two hours), and interjects with some lighthearted comments throughout the book. I will let my 7th grader read it, but not my 4th grader.
• The first thing you will notice about this book is that the author's presence is very prominent throughout the journey. He'll interject, he'll muse, and he'll even make you laugh from time to time. I like how this method allows the book to differ from the usual YA fiction I usually read, but I'll admit that Gidwitz can sometimes disrupt and distract. But putting that aside, I'm impressed with how in tune he is to the traditions of fairy tales in terms of technique the hero's journey, the rule of 3's, and repetition. More importantly, I love how the theme of the story is presented without a drop of didacticism often inherent in fairy tales; that it's about believing in a child's strength in the face of trial and despair, despite their age or experience.
• This was on my son's 6th grade summer reading list. We got the audio version and listened to it in the car, so all three of my boys (14, 11, and 8) got to hear the story. Yes, parts are gory and bloody, but that's how Grimm's fairy tales were! It didn't bother my kids.... there is plenty of humor and a wonderful storyline that comes full circle. We really enjoyed the author's editorial comments sprinkled throughout. Both of my older sons would read ahead in the actual book after our car rides because they needed to know what happened. I actually just ordered the next two books for us to read together.
• Exactly how many of you grew up reading fairy tales? I know I did and they were some of my favourite stories. So what was it that made them so appealing? Was it that they were whimsical by their very nature? Or was it that they transported us faraway places? Or maybe it was that no matter what, they'd always deliver us a happy ending? For me, it was the latter. If I could count on anything as a kid it was that the fairy tales would, without a doubt, always have a happily ever after. Well, what if I told you, you weren't told the whole story. You'd want the truth, right? The whole truth? No matter how dark and/or gruesome it was, you'd still want to know? You're absolutely certain? Good, because Adam Gidwitz gives us just that. In his novel, A Tale Dark & Grimm, Gidwitz sets out to reveal what really happened in those classic fairy tales we love so much.
  
  If you haven't already gathered by its title, A Tale Dark & Grimm is a retelling of an original Grimm story, Hansel and Gretel--only this version is much darker than the one you're used to. There is blood. There is violence. There is gore. There are no happy endings--yet. We watch Hansel and Gretel as they travel through several other well-known Grimm fables and we learn the sinister truth. Ten short stories make up this harrowing adventure and they feature a cannibalistic old woman, a bloodthirsty boy-beast, the Devil's trickery and an alarmingly menacing dragon. As I said before, these aren't your usual fairy tales. These are fairy tales for the twenty-first century. Gidwitz makes fairy tales so much more awesome!
  
  What really drew my attention were the quirky narrations throughout the course of the book. Our narrator uses cheeky, fantastical, well-placed asides to highlight the pressing dangers or grim (pun totally intended) nature in each of these stories, without being patronizing to the reader. Gidwitz doesn't take these stories lightly and he definitely makes the protagonists suffer, but that's what's so brilliant about this book. He teaches valuable lessons and the reason our heroes prevail is because of that very suffering. He shows us the magic and power created for and by children and he stays honest to that through to the very end.
  
  Food for Thought A Tale Dark & Grimm is just the sort of story that parents and youngsters can enjoy reading together. This book enforces a strong moral code and does it in a way that is both grisly and exciting. I loved every disturbing, thrilling, funny moment and would wholeheartedly recommend it to those who enjoy their fairy tales with a side of sadism.
  
  Rating 4/5 stars
• First in a series - you cannot go wrong with reading this wonderful series to your children aged 7 and older. While there are some frightening descriptions and lots of bloody scenes, the Narrator's interjections keep the scary bits light and entertaining. The sentence structure and vocabulary are straight from Grammar/Vocab Heaven; we found it wonderful to explain what a word meant and then try to use it in regular conversations. This was not an easy job with words such as craggy and perspicacity!