Eighteen classic tales are retold in panels by established graphic artists in Fairy Tale Comics.
Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists, edited by Chris Duffy. First Second, 2013. 123 pages.
- Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-12
- Recommended For: Ages 6 and up
Eighteen classic tales are retold in panels by established graphic artists. Some of the stories, like Little Red Riding Hood and the Twelve Dancing Princesses, are well known. Others—Small Tooth Dog, Sweet Porridge, The Boy Who Drew Cats—are traditional folk tales from all over the world. One of my favorite stories, previously unknown to me, is “Give Me the Shudders,” about a youth who can’t be frightened. Speaking of fright, some of the tales are too scary for young children, like Baba Yaga the witch (I remember Baba Yaga comics from my own childhood—her chicken-footed cottage gave me the creeps). But there’s nothing really objectionable, though I’ll admit to being irritated by Gigi D. G.’s depiction of the hunter in Red Riding Hood as a lumberjack—no, a lumberjill, a female with upper-body development very unlikely in real life.
Younger kids will enjoy the stories, but a particular value of this volume for older readers is the handy compilation of drawing styles and storytelling techniques. An aspiring artist or graphic novelist could learn a lot from making comparisons and thinking through the artistic choices.
Bottom Line: A fun book both young and old will enjoy.
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Reviews: This review was originally in a round-up (from 2012) with two other “classics in comics” style graphic novels: Romeo and Juliet by Gareth Hinds and Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, adapted by Shanower and Young.
- Review: 5 Fun Fairy Tale Reads (for middle grades and up)
- Resource: Fairy Tales and Folk Tales: A Picture Booklist
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