David Roberts' Delightfully Different Fairytales

By Author / Illustrator

David Roberts, Lynn Roberts

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Pavilion Books

ISBN

9781843654759

Format

Hardback

Published

01-10-2020

Synopsis

A treasury of fairy tales with a difference - feminist, sparky and set in different decades of the 20th century, with funky clothes and recognisable settings. A stunning collaboration between the brilliant illustrator David Roberts and his talented writer sister Lynn.

This special collection includes:

a feminist Sleeping Beauty, set in the 1950s (and 2950s), in a story populated entirely with women and girls (no princes needed here!)

a 1970s Rapunzel whose friend plays in a rock band

a 1920s-set Cinderella with flapper girls and a fashion-conscious fairy godmother.

These are all deliciously, delightfully different takes on the fairy tales we all know.

Reviews

Delightful indeed! This beautiful hardcover book comprises of three fantastically different, quirky fairy tales. Brother and sister duo David Roberts and Lynn Roberts-Maloney have engineered a beautiful take on some favourite classics; Cinderella in art deco style, a groovy 1970's version of Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty like no other.

These much-loved fairy tales have certainly been given a makeover. Cinderella is a flapper girl in the 1920s who arrives at a fabulous art deco ball to meet Prince Roderick. Much of this story is kept the same as the original although the well-researched and produced illustrations set it apart, each with lots of detail to explore and discuss within a classroom setting. In this story you can certainly spot some famous period details in the fashions, household objects and decor. This is a fantastic tale to share with children especially if you're in a school similar to mine whereby 'art deco' style is a theme studied as part of the curriculum for art.

Rapunzel's story, I feel has more creative tweaks than the first. This is a special treat for parents and teachers to reminisce. Set in the 70s, Rapunzel lives in a tower block with her dreadful aunt Edna and her rescuer is wannabe pop star Roger; lead singer in the local school band.

The final tale is that of Sleeping Beauty's. Spanning from mid-century 1950s all the way to the 2950s, Annabel - the dear niece of Rosalind and Flora - is placed under a cruel spell, put to sleep for a thousand years. There are no Prince Charming's to the rescue here! The real heroine is an inquisitive young girl called Zoe whom makes it her mission to find out about the history of the giant rose tree, untouched throughout years of revolutionary change. As Annabel wakes from her deep sleep, she is greeted by Zoe who gently explains the tale of how she came to be in the future.

In my role as History Leader in a primary school, I hugely appreciate stories like this to support the teaching and learning of history within school. The story, though it is fictional, shines a light on different time periods, bringing to life important pieces of the past in a way a young child can easily access and relate to, woven cleverly within stories they know well and can engage with. Funny and refreshing!

104 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Nikki Stiles, teacher