Review by Booklist Review
As the title states, graphic novelist Fransman and creative technologist Plackett, a married couple, have used an algorithm to swap the names, pronouns, and other gendered language in Andrew and Nora Lang's renowned Fairy Books without changing any other wording. Rapunzel grows a lengthy beard for a brave princess to climb, and a tigress-like beast keeps Handsome entertained in her enchanted castle. Fransman and Plackett's clever and revelatory revisions breathe fresh life into familiar stories as girls outsmart their foes and slay monsters while princes are allowed to express their anxieties and fears with a good, healthy cry. Each tale is illustrated with Fransman's dynamic watercolors. In the helpful opening pages, the authors acknowledge that gender is more complex than "feminine" versus "masculine;" they argue, however, that our culture thrives on a binary language and stereotypes, which are what they're hoping to challenge in these "gender swapped" stories. A lovely, thought-provoking collection, ideal for reading aloud at bedtime. Though be forewarned: in this version, no huntswoman comes to rescue Little Red Riding Hood from Mistress Wolf.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Fransman (The House That Groaned) and debut author Plackett reflect a world in which gender roles are not so strictly defined in this charming collection of 12 lightly retold fairy tales. In "Handsome and the Beast," it is the beautiful son of a female merchant who encounters a female Beast. A princess who's out hunting wakes a sleeping prince in "The Sleeping Handsome in the Wood." While some of the gender changes are more whimsical--it is a rooster who lays the golden eggs in "Jacqueline and the Beanstalk"--outside of the gender bending, the beats of the stories themselves remain exactly the same: Snowdrop's vain evil stepfather still tries to kill him once with laces, once with a comb, and finally with a poisoned apple, and Thumbalina--now Thumbalin--still finds his home among the flowers. There's nothing radical here, and though the authors discuss trans and nonbinary identities in their introduction, they're not explicitly present in the tales themselves. But even these mild revisions breathe fresh air into well-known and loved tales, breaking up conventional dynamics and outdated ideologies. Coupled with vibrant illustrations from Fransman, this is sure to enchant adults and children alike. Agent: Sophie Lamber, C+W Agency. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up--Fransman and Plackett alter the gender markers in classic fairy tales for this collection, including "Handsome and the Beast," "Gretel and Hansel," and "Thumbelin." Each story is accompanied by illustrations that are vibrant and inviting, which greatly assists the implementation of the authors' intention to present these tales as authentic alternatives to the originals. Although these changes are an interesting exercise in theory, the authors' decision to only change gender markers and leave the remainder of the text untouched creates situations that jar the continuity of the stories. The context-less inclusion of archaic language that has since changed in meaning is disruptive to the overall storytelling. VERDICT A candidate for inclusion in a collection catering to academic analysis, but unlikely to be a worthwhile selection for a less formal setting.--Austin Ferraro, Brambleton Lib./Loudoun County P.L., Brambleton, VA
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