Leaping Beauty : and other animal fairy tales(YA)

Who better to wreak havoc with eight beloved fairytales than Gregory Maguire, the brilliantly funny author of the adult novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as of the hilarious middle–grade series, The Hamlet Chronicles. Zany animals of all species run through these fractured tales with alarming speed and dexterity. Who would have thought that Sleeping Beauty, that most regal of all fairy– tales, could be twisted into the story of a frog with a most unusual and promising dance career? Get ready to meet a gorilla queen and a psycho chimp, seven giant giraffes; and one very bad walrus.

Who better to wreak havoc with eight beloved fairytales than Gregory Maguire, the brilliantly funny author of the adult novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as of the hilarious middle–grade series, The Hamlet Chronicles.

Zany animals of all species run through these fractured tales with alarming speed and dexterity. Who would have thought that Sleeping Beauty, that most regal of all fairy– tales, could be twisted into the story of a frog with a most unusual and promising dance career? Get ready to meet a gorilla queen and a psycho chimp, seven giant giraffes; and one very bad walrus.

Publishers Weekly

These eight retellings with such animals as "Cinder-Elephant" and "Goldiefox and the Three Chickens" in the starring roles make "a good choice for those whose tastes run to silly and sillier," according to PW. Ages 8-12. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Title Page......Page 3 Dedication Page......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Leaping Beauty......Page 7 Goldiefox and the Three Chickens......Page 29 Hamster and Gerbil......Page 47 So What and the Seven Giraffes......Page 73 Little Red Robin Hood......Page 111 The Three Little Penguins and the Big Bad Walrus......Page 133 Cinder-Elephant......Page 151 Rumplesnakeskin......Page 179 About the Author and the Illustrator......Page 204 Also by Gregory Maguire......Page 205 Credits......Page 206 Copyright Notice......Page 207 About the Publisher......Page 208 Once upon a time . . . nothing was as it seemed! What if Sleeping Beauty were actually a frog princess, doomed to be Weeping Beauty forever? What if the Three Chickens had to outwit Goldifox ? What if Cinder-Elephant lost her glass plate slipper? Then you'd have this hilarious collection of twisted fairy tales from the master of the absurd, Gregory Maguire! What if Sleeping Beauty were actually a frog princess, doomed to be Weeping Beauty forever? What if the Three Chickens had to outwit Goldifox? What if Cinder-Elephant lost her glass plate slipper, then you'd have this hilarious collection of twisted fairy tales ... on back cover From the bestselling author of the adult novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" comes this unique take on eight classic fairy tales. Illustrations Retells eight beloved fairy tales, giving them animal protagonists; includes such stories as "Cinder-Elephant," "Hamster and Gerbil," and "Leaping Beauty." The king and queen of the frogs gave birth to a baby.