The Princess and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

I knew this was a graphic novel about a prince who wears dresses, and I went in to reading it expecting it to be something of an "issue book." I was pleasantly surprised that it was much more than that. It's the charming story of a working girl who aspires to be a successful dressmaker and clothing designer. She is at the mercy of whoever employs her, and when she goes to work for Prince Sebastian, she becomes privvy to his secret--he likes to go out at night as the dazzling Lady Crystallia. Frances makes fabulous dresses, but how can she advance her career while keeping his secret? Readers will empathize with both Frances and Sebastian, and will be surprised by the twists and turns that their story takes. I know that this feel-good fairy tale will be enjoyed by middle school, high school, and adult readers alike. 

Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke

In this retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, there is no beanstalk that grows up to the sky. What there is is an overgrown magical garden with strange and frightening plants and creatures running amok. Jack's single mom works two jobs leaving him to take care of his sister, who doesn't speak except to trade the family car keys for some seeds at a flea market. And thus the summer adventure begins. The kids and an enthusiastic neighbor girl wield swords and garden tools to take on a variety of dangers which are not necessarily evil. The kids confront their fears and solve their problems without intervention from adults.  It's bright and colorful and adventurous and definitely a story that middle school graphic novel fans will race through.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Middle school kids are going crazy for this book and I'm so glad my 7th and 8th graders chose it for their book club. It's a sci-fi/dystopian Cinderella story, but there's no helpless princess here. Cinder, a cyborg and second-class citizen, is the best mechanic in New Beijing. She lives with her stepmother and stepsisters, who treat her badly (no surprise there). A deadly plague is killing people right and left, and a lunar civilization ruled by Queen Levana is lurking nearby, waiting for a chance to take over the earth by way of marrying Prince Kai. Cinder has a brief encounter with the truly charming Prince and is charged with repairing his android. But shortly thereafter her sister gets the plague, Cinder is "donated" for plague research, and she discovers some shocking secrets about her past. It's fun to catch all the fairy tale references, but Cinder truly is its own story. I listened to the audiobook and couldn't wait to hear more. My only gripe is the ending, which is one of the worst cliff-hangers I've ever read. This book is not short, but there's no reason that younger middle schoolers up through high schoolers won't enjoy it.

Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal

The best part of this fairy tale-ish book is that the narrator is the long-dead ghost of Jacob Grimm. He is wandering the world trying to finish some unknown task. He has latched onto the only human he has ever found that can hear his voice—a boy named Jeremy Johnson Johnson. Jeremy's mother, long gone now, left him with a love of fairy tales. Jeremy's grandfather, now deceased, left him with a small bookstore that makes no money. Jeremy's father lays in bed all day watching TV. At times it seems that the ghost of Jacob Grimm is Jeremy's best friend. He even helps Jeremy try to earn some money on a local game show. Things change when a wild-haired girl named Ginger includes him in her schemes and befriends him. Unfortunately she leads him into trouble with the town baker who becomes an integral part of the story. What happens next is dark and disturbing and very much like a Grimm Fairy Tale. This book is intelligent, haunting, and unique. I would recommend it to readers from 7th grade through adults, especially those who like variations on fairy tales.

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

I was excited about this book because of the huge popularity of Alex Flinn's previous fairy tale book, Beastly, which had boys and girls clamoring for it at my middle school. This one is the story of Sleeping Beauty set in modern times. The princess Talia has been asleep for 300 years when a modern slacker teen named Jack finds the hidden kingdom of Euphrasia and decides to kiss the beautiful girl he finds there. Of course, she wakes up in the 21st century to a lot of problems—mainly that her father the king is furious with her. She runs off to Florida with Jack, who doesn't actually like the spoiled princess, and there suddenly becomes diplomatic and kind and brings out a new side in the formerly unmotivated Jack. Normally I can suspend my disbelief and just enjoy fairy tale stories, but I never got into this one. I thought both Talia and Jack changed rather suddenly and their romance seemed forced. And the return to Euphrasia seemed like a tacked on ending that didn't fit with the rest of the story. It wasn't a terrible book—I'm sure that some fairy tale fans will enjoy it—but I didn't find it as satisfying as Beastly or some of my other favorite fairy tale novels. And one more complaint—I am tired of middle school fiction containing scenes of wild drunken high schoolers partying. It's fine in a book like Speak where it's integral to a serious plot, but I just don't think it's necessary in every story about teenagers.

The Mirror's Tale by P.W. Catanese

Have you ever wondered about whatever happened to fairy tale characters after the "happily ever after" ending? This book explores the aftermath of the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Many years later the same mirror that the evil stepmother used takes control of a teenage boy and drives him to almost destroy his twin brother and his own kingdom. This is a fairy tale story, but unlike most of this genre, this one is aimed at male readers. The main characters are twin brothers who switch places to deceive their parents. One turns evil and the other has to learn to use his brains and step up to the challenge of one day inheriting his father's title. I thought it went on a little bit too long, and while I enjoyed some of the fairy tale elements, it just didn't enthrall me like some other fairy tale books I've read. Still, there's a lot of action and magic and I think some fantasy readers will enjoy it.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Handsome, arrogant Kyle has been turned into a beast by a witch. He has two years to make someone love him for who he is or he will remain a beast forever. Yes, it's the story of Beauty and the Beast set in modern day New York City. Kyle is a major jerk in his old life, but his transformation to a more sensitive, self-actualized person is surprisingly believable. Of course, there's a bookish girl in this story, one whom Kyle at first looks down on, but later comes to love. In some ways it's predictable, but that didn't bother me at all. It's a fun romance for fairy tale fans, and since it's told from the point of view of the beast, it may attract some guy readers as well. The best part of the book is the chat sessions from Kyle's online support group where you meet others who have mysteriously transformed, including a frog prince and the Little Mermaid. A fun read for 7th-10th graders.

Castle Corona by Sharon Creech

In this fantasy fairy tale, Pia and Enzo are orphaned peasant children who find a mysterious pouch and shortly afterwards are summoned to the castle to be tasters for the King. They don't know why they were chosen, but they soon come to enjoy eating good food, roaming the castle, and meeting the prince and princess. The royal family is a bit ridiculous and stereotypical, which keeps the book lighthearted and mildly humorous, but kept me from really getting engaged with the story. Creech is a fine writer, and this light, breezy story that ends with a predictable twist will probably be popular with younger kids (grades 3-5). This fantasy fairy tale reminded me of Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris, which I didn't like all that well, either. Personally, I much prefer the fairy tale stories with more depth of character such as The Goose Girl and others by Shannon Hale, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, and Beauty by Robin McKinley.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

This is another fairy tale to treasure from Shannon Hale. It has many similar themes to her other books. Like The Goose Girl, it is about a girl who must overcome great odds while living a difficult peasant life, and like The Princess Academy, there is a somewhat magical way of communicating by singing. And like both books, the protagonist is a smart, determined girl who you come to know and love as you read about her struggles. The story is loosely based on a Brothers Grimm tale, but is set in ancient Mongolia. A noble girl is sealed in a tower for seven years for refusing to marry her father's desired suitor. Dashti, a mucker girl from the steppes, agrees to be sealed up with the Lady Saren to serve as her maid. The Book of a Thousand Days is Dashti's diary of the following years. Lady Saren is quite a mess, and the only reason she survives, escapes, and makes it to another kingdom is Dashti's determination and her ability to sing the healing songs that her mucker mother taught her. There is romance with a Khan, battle against the evil Khan of another realm, friendship, and a fascinating world made up of eight realms and dominated by an intriguing group of Gods and Ancestors. Readers who love Shannon Hale will also love Dashti's story.