Fractured Fairy Tales

In our library, the staff all take part in a reading challenge we call DER (Dare to Extend your Reading). Every few months we read a book based on a different theme. We do it so that we read something that we might not have read ordinarily, which is a great way of growing our collection knowledge so we can help our lovely customers to find just the perfect book.

Over the last two months, our theme was a book that was a modern retelling of a classic. It was really interesting to see how many of us ended up reading retold versions of classic fairy tales such as Snow White, Cinderella, The little mermaid and so on. You can check out some of the reviews here on our Pinterest page.

I really loved my book, and it got me thinking about just how many fractured fairy tales I have enjoyed over the years. Fractured fairy tales are the fairy tales we know and love, but changed up a little, such as changing the characters, setting or the point of view. I just love seeing favourite characters doing new and unexpected things!

So here are a few of my all time favourites, and I would LOVE to hear about yours in the comments. I'm always looking for another good read.

First up is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I loved this when it first came out, and was even happier when it was turned into a movie featuring Anne Hathaway several years later. This is a retelling of Cinderella, but this Ella (who was cursed at birth to always be obedient) is incredibly smart and sassy. Yes there is a glass slipper (and a happily ever after), but Ella doesn't wait to be rescued by her Prince, she takes matters in her own hands and heads off on a quest to reverse her curse, with many adventures along the way.

My read for the DER challenge was Spelled by Betsy Schow, which was a whole new spin on The Wizard of Oz. In this version,  our main character Dorthea, the Emerald Princess, is a bit of of spoilt brat. She is sick of being cooped up in the castle due to a family curse, and when her family decide to marry her off to a prince without her consent, she makes a bit of a bad wish, undoing magic in the realm and losing her parents. It is now up to her, Prince Kato (who is now a chimera)  and insolent servant Rexxi to try and put things right, without dying in the process as the Gray Witch chases them, intent on stealing Dorthea’s magic for herself. Many other fairy tale favourites pop up along the way during this fun read. 

I've already blogged about graphic novel series Fables by Bill Willingham before in my Graphic novels for Grown Ups post, but it is definitely worth a second mention. In this series, all the fairytale and folklore characters we know and love have been forced from their homelands by the big bad 'The Adversary', and they are living in a secret community called Fabletown within our world New York. They call themselves Fables (we're the mundys), and anyone who can't pass themselves off as a mundy ends up at the Farm in upstate New York. All of your favourites are there, mostly in whole new ways you have NEVER seen them before. The central ongoing relationship between Snow White and Bigby (also known as the Big Bad Wolf) is possibly my favourite literary relationship ever!

And from one for the grown ups to one for the kids. The true story of the 3 little pigs by A.Wolf as told to Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith  is a fun wee tale I've loved sharing with my mini-geeks at home. The wolf tells his version of those famous events concerning those certain pigs in this entertaining read. Who knew just how much trouble a sneeze can get you into? 

Alice Through The Looking Glass - Movie Review

Many of us have an enduring affinity with Alice in Wonderland in at least one of its many incarnations. I have fond memories of an obsession with my cassette tape copy of the original Disney film’s soundtrack. A Unbirthday Song was my cue to pick up the (toy) mic and subject my house to the gift of karaoke.

Later in life I was given the opportunity to study the original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass through the excellent Annotated Alice, which explains literally everything you might ever want or need to know about the satire-dense texts.

Most film-goers now will be well aware of Disney’s 2010 Tim Burton-helmed reimagining of Alice in Wonderland. The lush backgrounds, elaborate wardrobes, extensive special effects, and expanded storyline have inspired a renewed interest in the classic cult film adaptation, and it was inevitable that a sequel would follow up on Mia Wasikowska’s plucky 1800s Alice.

Central to the film's heart are the themes of family bonds, forgiveness, regret, and as always with Alice themed works, the importance of personal fortitude. Alice (Mia Wasikowska) and the Hatter (Johnny Depp feat. oodles of make-up and special effects) find their pasts having a direct effect on their presents in both Underland and 1800s London. As always, the adventure is sparked by the both of them having discovering that something formerly concrete to their lives is not quite as it seems…

Expect another gorgeous wardrobe of gloriously vivid and textured outfits for every character, especially those of Alice and the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). Particularly of note are the numerous fantastic stylised naval uniforms, many of which I left the theatre coveting.

As Through the Looking Glass follows directly on from the first film you may want to take advantage of a rewatch of the first (the DVD is conveniently available from Auckland Libraries), as Through the Looking Glass is a complex story, traversing time and space…I won’t say much more so as not to spoil any plot points!

Very young children may find the fast paced and intricate plot difficult to follow, but the visual spectacle was more than enough entrance most watchers at my session. Much like Maleficent, Disney’s newest reimagining of a classic, is no rigid re-enactment of the original tale, and you can expect to enjoy an engrossing original story with much homage to elements of the books.

Our thanks to Disney for providing tickets to an advanced screening for our reviewer.

'The Jungle Book' Movie Review

I was excited, based on my last post about children's movies, that I got the opportunity to go see The Jungle Book at the cinemas recently. As I said, I am a sucker for children's movies, especially Disney ones (don't judge me). 3D glasses perched on my face, I prepared to enter the world of the iconic Mowgli, and his talking animal friends.

In case you have been living under a rock for several decades (or a century, for that matter, if you include the source material), the story is based around Mowgli, a 'man-cub' orphan, played with great vivacity and sweetness by 13-year old newcomer actor Neel Seethi. Mowgli is rescued from almost-certain death by a panther named Bagheera, who decides to bring him to wolf Raksha, a new mother. Raksha, along with wolf-clan leader Akela, decide to bring Mowgli up as their own son.

However, trouble appears on the horizon in the form Benghali tiger Shere Khan, voiced with ferocious precision by Idris Elba, who wants Mowgli for himself. Eventually Mowgli, with the encouragement of Bagheera, decides to leave the wolf pack for their own safety. Bagheera wants to accompany him to the nearest 'man village', but they get separated along the way. Left to fend for himself, Mowgli encounters a python with a hypnotic voice, a massive orangutan obsessed with fire, and a sloth-bear enamoured of honey. He eventually finds the village, and ends up embracing his own unique abilities along the way.

This is a beautiful film, visually. The Disney animation is so iconic, I was surprised at how well it translated to live-action. The jungle looks magical and lush, especially through the eyes of an eight-year old boy. Ben Kingsley, and Lupita Nyong'o, who play Bagheera and Raksha respectively, bring a warmness and protective nature to their bond with Mowgli, which really fells like the beating heart of this movie. It is beautiful to see a supportive bond on screen being celebrated. Idris Elba gives a fantastic performance also, but for very different reasons. If that's not enough to convince you, then Bill Murray singing certainly will. He is like the outrageous uncle we all wish we had. The story has its tense moments, which keep the story flowing, but it never spills over into pure terror territory. Maybe don't take very young children, but I suspect older children will adore it. Overall, a beautiful movie full of spirit, music and suspense for the whole family.

Keep an eye on our New Titles lists (updated monthly) for when The Jungle Book DVD is added to our collections, and be sure to place a free hold.

Our thanks to Disney for providing tickets to an advanced screening for our reviewer.

Wiling The Winter Away

Click click click, clack, clack clack...

There is something very soothing about the sound of knitting needles busily working away and with winter slowly making an appearance now is the time to pull out those patterns and wool and curl up on the couch with a hot cuppa and craft those wintry evenings away.

Of course if knitting's not your thing there are a realm of other crafts that you can do from the toasty warmth of the sofa, from crocheting to sewing to stitching to colouring.  And here at Auckland Libraries we have plenty of books to help get you started.

So get into that wintry mood and get crafting.

Three Words - NZ, Women, Comics

I'm a huge fan of short comics. Upon discovering NZ author (as well as comic artist and zine-maker) Sarah Laing, I fell in love with the simplicity of her autobiographical comics. After this, I kept seeing her work everywhere. And then I noticed - I kept seeing NZ comic artists everywhere. And a lot of them were women. Or, they've been there the whole time, and I never bothered to look.

But now, I'm bothering.

Earlier this year, Three Words: an anthology of Aotearoa/NZ women's comics was published. A whole anthology of comics from our very own artists, from all over the country, with the purpose of getting our creative women and their work out from the shadows and into a book - into your libraries, onto your coffee tables, into your hands.

And the theme? Simple - each artist would give three words to another, and in return, receive three words from someone else. Then, they incorporate those words into a comic (literally or figuratively) which you get to feast your eyes on.

With a huge variety of artists - from those who breathe comics, to those who are doing them for the first time - Three Words is a diverse and fantastic way to get to know the women who you probably pass on the street, and the creativity that they put on the page.