Damsels in Charge: 40 Fairy Tales Starring Mighty Girls

Interstellar Cinderella

This retelling transports Cinderella into outer space! Hardworking Cinderella is kept doing menial appliance repairs, but at night, she studies how to build and repair rocket ships. When her family strands her on an empty planet. all Cinderella's fairy godrobot needs to provide are tools; that allows Cinderella to repair a ship, get off the planet, and provide some much needed mechanical assistance to the Prince! She’s also smart enough to know she’s too young for marriage, opting to take up the post of chief royal mechanic instead. Tinkering kids will love this mechanically-inclined Cinderella.

Twinderella: A Fractioned Fairy Tale

What if Cinderella had a twin sister? Maybe together they would have gotten clever about dividing up the work! Cinderella's math-loving sister Tinderella divides everything in half, from their stepmother's chore list to the bed they share — that way, everything is fair. When the Prince calls a ball and their fairy godmother appears, Tinderella can even figure out how to split up the baubles and the coach. But even Tinderella can't split a prince in half! Fortunately, Tinderella realizes that there's a flip side to division... This clever fractured (and fractioned) fairy tale in rhyming text is full of hilarious puns and entertaining math concepts.

Cinders and Sparks: Magic at Midnight

Messy and outdoors-loving Cinders finds life with her mean stepmother and stepsisters boring... until the day her wishes start coming true, and her dog Sparks starts talking! As she tries to figure out what's happening, Cinders meets her fairy godmother, whose name, Brian, isn't the strangest thing about her. And when Cinders magics her own way to the royal ball, it's not quite what she expected either: Prince Joderick would rather be baking than picking a princess, and the royal family is terrified of fairies. This laugh-out-loud chapter book, featuring plenty of hilarious black and white illustrations, follows Cinder as she figures out how to make her own destiny... and how to adapt when it's not what she (or the reader!) expected.

Sisters Ever After: Glass Slippers

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella's wicked stepsisters, but Queen Ella offered some kindness to her third stepsister, Tirza, who was just a child. Now 11, Tirza struggles with guilt over what her family did; with feeling like an outsider at the palace, where she is always eyed with suspicion; and with worries about her older sisters in exile. When Queen Ella's famous glass slippers are stolen, everyone assumes Tirza is the thief. Tirza has to prove her innocence, but along the way, she also discovers unexpected truths about Cinderella, her own older sisters, and who she can really trust. The second book in the Sisters Ever After series explores family loyalty, prejudice, and sisterly love.

Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella

Ella Coach, whose mother died working in a sweatshop, wants fair treatment for the kingdom's laborers, but to do that, she'll need support from nobility. Prince Dash Charming, whose family's curse to lie, cheat, and break hearts has finally been broken, wants to be a better person — but doesn't know where to start. Serge is an executive fairy godfather who's tired of filling the whims of entitled rich teenagers. And when the three of them meet, they just might change the world! This second book in the Tyme series uses a magic-filled, modernized fairy tale to explore issues of economic justice and the ability of individuals to make an difference.

Cinder

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future. No one — including Cinder herself — knows that Earth's fate hinges on one very special young woman... To follow Cinder's further adventures, all five books in the series are available in The Lunar Chronicles Box Set.

The Three Ninja Pigs

In most versions of The Three Little Pigs, the pigs are brothers, but in this book, the youngest pig is a sister who shows her brothers the true spirit of martial arts! When the three siblings get tired of getting pushed around by a bully of a wolf, they decide to take lessons at the ninja school. Pig One and Pig Two, though, aren't dedicated enough to perfect their skills, and it shows when they confront the wolf. Pig Three, on the other hand, practices diligently to earn her black belt — and her skill is so obvious that the wolf runs off before she lays a finger on him! This great twisted fairy tale has limerick text that’s great for reading aloud, and teaches a terrific message about practice and perseverance. Kids who enjoy this story can check out the sequel, Ninja Red Riding Hood. For another fun story with a martial-arts spin from this author / illustrator pair, check out Hensel and Gretel: Ninja Chicks for ages 4 to 8.

Goldilocks and the Three Engineers

Goldilocks loves inventing things — but today, it seems like all of her ideas hit a dead end. She has inventor's block! To clear her head, she heads out for a walk, leaving all her projects — a porridge-stirring bowl, a remote-control rocking bed, and more — on her workbench. When Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear discover the house, they know just how to tweak and fix the devices so they work. Kids will giggle at this STEM-themed fairy tale, with its peppy rhyming text and colorful illustrations, and learn that teamwork can be the key when you're stuck. For two more fractured fairy tales by this author-illustrator team, check out Mary Had A Little Lab and The Princess and the Petri Dish.

Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears

In the original story, Goldilocks isn’t a particularly admirable character — most parents would hesitate to cheer on a character who breaks and enters! So in this book, a more collaborative ending provides the perfect twist. These musician bears are struggling to find the perfect voice to go along with their band — until they discover a mysterious golden-haired girl who’s wandered into their studio and fallen asleep on Baby Bear’s keyboard! In the end, of course, the trio becomes a quartet and their new song “Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right?” is a hit.

Reading Beauty

Space Princess Lex devours books, but when she wakes up on her fifteenth birthday, she's shocked to find the bookshelves empty! It turns out that a fairy has threatened a curse: a death-like sleep caused by a paper cut. Lex doesn't want to live without her beloved books, and she doesn't think the rest of the kingdom should have to either, so the bold princess decides to set out in search of the fairy and convince her to set things right. Set in the same universe as Interstellar Cinderella, this funny twisted fairy tale is a celebration of the power of knowledge and the love of reading.

Sisters Ever After: Thornwood

11-year-old Briony has never been as important as her big sister: beautiful Rosalin was cursed to prick her finger on a spindle on her 16th birthday, while Briony never got a fairy's curse — or blessing — at all. When Briony wakes up a hundred years after the fateful day, in a room with a large spinning wheel, she thinks she knows what's happened... but not everything adds up. Prince Varian, the hero, is acting strangely; the castle is still strangled by thorns and vines, and there's a vaguely scary fairy godmother hanging around. But the only person who will listen to her is Rosalin herself. As the sisters try to untangle the plots around them, they'll realize that nothing is more important than sisterhood... and that destiny isn't all it's cracked up to be. This is the first book in a three-part series that explores the stories of the sisters who didn't make it into the fairy tales.

Spindle's End

Robin McKinley’s Sleeping Beauty story begins as in the traditional tale, but Rosie grows into a strong, physical young woman who prefers leather breeches to gowns and is most at home in the woods with her animal friends. When Rosie’s true identity is revealed, along with a plan to defeat Pernicia, the evil fairy who set the curse, she and her beloved friend Peony will have to risk everything — and possibly sacrifice everything — to save the kingdom and those they love. young readers will love this unique and exciting version of the Sleeping Beauty story.

Rapunzel

Our story begins with Rapunzel in her tower, imprisoned by a black-clad witch, but it doesn't take this mischievous Rapunzel long to realize that she could let down her own hair and escape. Then, with the help of woodland creatures — and a book called How to Defeat Witches — she stops her own tormentor... then puts on a mask and sets out to do battle with all the witches of the wood! Striking art and a funny twist on the Rapunzel tale will make this a favorite. For another fairy tale retelling by the same author / illustrator, check out Little Red.

Jo Bright and the Seven Bots

Enjoy this futuristic spin on Snow White from the author of Interstellar Cinderella and Reading Beauty! Jo is used to improvising for her robot builds; the queen won't let Jo use her tools. But when the jealous queen's mirror-bot declares Jo the best bot-builder, the queen banishes Jo completely! Fortunately, Jo meets a friendly dragon named Sparky, and gets to work building bots to help keep him company. But when the queen sends an evil apple-bot after Jo, and it attacks the littlest bot, will Jo be able to save her new friends? With rollicking rhyme and vibrant illustrations full of whimsical robots, this book is a celebration of a determined princess who knows she can build her own future.

Fairest

"Who is the Fairest of them all?" The beauty-focused story of Snow White becomes a tale of courtly intrigue and one young woman’s journey to positive self-image in this novel. In the kingdom of Ayortha, beauty and song are the greatest gifts a woman can possess...and Aza has only one of them: she’s considered gawky and ugly, but her singing is beyond compare, and she can even throw her voice. When Queen Ivi discovers Aza’s abilities, she threatens her into using them to conceal her own lack of singing ability. But it’s when the deception is revealed and Aza has to flee the castle that she discovers her own strength and courage — and the love that she thought she could never find. Levine’s intriguing adaptation of the Snow White story provides plenty of fodder for Mighty Girls who want to discuss the challenges of life in an appearance-obsessed society.

The Princess Curse

In the original version of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, it’s a clever old soldier or a visiting prince who learns the secret; gender swap the investigating character and you get a new twist on the tale! In this book, everyone who has tried to find the source of the curse — and earn the promised reward — has either disappeared or fallen into an enchanted sleep. 13-year-old Reveka is a herbalist apprentice and wants to buy a position as a master herbalist... something the reward would easily allow. But as Reveka gets deeper into her investigation of the mystery, she discovers that the stakes are far higher than she expected. Is she willing to journey to the Underworld, at the risk of her own soul, to help the princesses — and maybe save the world?

Kate and the Beanstalk

Instead of a lazy and thieving Jack, this story features a quick-witted Mighty Girl in the lead! Kate climbs the beanstalk only to discover that the giant’s riches are stolen: the castle in the sky and its contents belonged to a kind knight, whose wife and daughter live in the valley below and are now nearly starving. Clever Kate plans to return these wonders to their rightful owners, but she’ll be surprised when she learns just who they are. These small changes create a character readers feel they can root for, and kids will have fun comparing the messages sent by the two different versions.

The House With Chicken Legs

12-year-old orphan Marinka just wants a friend, but as the granddaughter of a Yaga, one of the guardians who guides the dead into the afterlife, she spends her days wandering the world in a house with chicken legs — which means no school, no parties, and no playmates. But when Marinka breaks one of the rules — and her grandmother disappears — Marinka will have to make a perilous journey into the afterlife to find her and set things right. This whimsical adventure story starring a selection of unique characters — including the chicken-legged house itself — is full of heart.

The Republic of Birds

12-year-old Olga and her family live a life of privilege in the land of Tsaretsvo, where a civil war rages between the humans and the Republic of Birds. She finds noble life stifling — especially since she's more interested in maps than her Spring Blossom Ball debut — and her growing magical powers are dangerous in a world that exiles young witches. When her architect father displeases the tsarina, the family is sent to an isolated shack near the Republic of Birds, and soon after, her talented younger sister is kidnapped by the birds. To save her, Olga will have to enter the Republic, risk the yaga witches and talking birds who live there, and even draw on her forbidden magic. This rich middle grade fantasy, inspired by Russian folklore, explores xenophobia and propaganda through the eyes of a young witch coming into her own.

Egg and Spoon

In the Russian countryside, Elena’s family has struggled since her father died years ago, and now her brothers are both gone and her mother is slowly fading away. Then a train arrives, full of food, luxuries, and a noble family, including Ekaterina, a girl Elena’s age. Suddenly, both girls are sent on a remarkable adventure of mistaken identity, mystery — and folklore come to life in the form of Baba Yaga! This thrilling adventure by bestselling author Gregory Maguire explores class, influence, and the dwindling resources of a world caught in climate change, all wrapped in Russian folklore.

The Brave Little Seamstress

This gender swap of The Brave Little Tailor mostly follows  the original story, but author Mary Pope Osborne throws in some unique touches — as does Giselle Potter, the illustrator, like when she depicts the seamstress using her favorite coat like a bullfighter’s cape. In the end, the king tries to go back on his deal with the brave little seamstress; fortunately, the friends she’s made — and her quick thinking — ensure that she can deliver the king his just desserts, and ascend to the throne herself, to rule as a wise and gracious queen.

Little Red Gliding Hood

Little Red needs a new pair of skates when she spots a banner for a skating competition, with golden skates as the prize! The only problem is that she needs a partner — and everyone has already paired up with someone from their own fairytale. When Granny suggests one of the little pigs, Red comes face to face with the Big Bad Wolf. Fortunately, it turns out that he's also in need of a new pair of skates... and Red learns that you shouldn't judge based on appearances! Kids will love trying to spot all the other fairy tale denizens in this fun story that provides a unique twist on Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red Hot

Little Red Hot loves chilli peppers... she eats them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So when her grandmother catches a cold, Little Red Hot figures that her special chilli pepper pie will "knock those cold germs right out of her." And that super-hot pie might turn out even more useful when tricky Senor Lobo tries to pretend to be Red's grandmother! This fun fractured fairy tale even includes an afterward about why peppers are hot. Fans of this book will also want to check out Lisa Campbell Ernst’s Little Red Riding Hood: A Newfangled Prairie Tale (ages 4 - 8), which features Red on a bicycle and a tractor-driving Granny; and the blend of fairy tale and superhero play in Claudia Davila’s Super Red Riding Hood (ages 4 - 8), where Red’s superhero skills — and compassion — lead to a more peaceful reconciliation with the wolf.

Little Red

In this unique telling of Little Red Riding Hood, a feisty little Red isn't fooled by the wolf's clumsy ploy! Red is so unafraid of the wolf that she doesn't hesitate to tell him about her grandmother, and the wolf lopes off ahead of her as in the traditional tale. But when Red arrives at Grandma's door, she considers the wolf "badly disguised." Once inside, she side-eyes the wolf but plays along until he leaps... and discovers that Red has her own axe at the ready! Bold graphic artwork and an empowering twist makes this a stand-out telling. For another fairy tale retelling by author / illustrator Bethany Woollvin, check out Rapunzel.

Endlessly Ever After

Pick YOUR Path to Countless Fairy Tale Endings!

When Rosie sets out into the forest, she's wearing a familiar-looking red cloak... but her story won't be as expected. On her way, she meets all sorts of fairy tale characters, including Hansel and Gretel, the Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White! And each time, the reader helps Rosie make a choice: Get spooked by the wolf and head home, or muster your courage and keep going? Enter the strange castle surrounded by thorns or head back home? Each choice leads to a different story path — some of which are successes and some of which will lead to Rosie's downfall! Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat team up to create a laugh-out-loud, choose-your-own-adventure style picture book with clever twists on classic fairy tales that will make kids want to find every ending.

Red: The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood

Red is not afraid of the big bad wolf. She's not afraid of anything... except magic. But when Red's granny falls ill, it seems that only magic can save her. With the help of a blond, porridge-sampling nuisance named Goldie, Red goes on a quest to cure Granny, through dwarves' caverns to a haunted well and a beast's castle. All the while, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman — two mortal enemies who seek the girls' help to defeat each other. Leisl Shurtliff expands on Red's appearance in her debut novel Rump in this unique retelling.