The Rumpelstiltskin Problem (MG)

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem. Vivian Vande Velde. 2000. Houghton Mifflin. 116 pages.

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem is a collection of short stories. Each short story puts a twist on the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin. In the author's note, Vivian Vande Velde picks apart all the problems with the original story, alerts readers of all the holes in logic, argues that the story is obviously incomplete! She plays around with this in her stories, proving that there are many sides to a story, many ways to interpret a story. Some are clever. Some are amusing. All are well-crafted, in my opinion.

If I had to choose just one as a favorite, it would be Straw into Gold.

The six short stories are:

A Fairy Tale in Bad Taste

Once upon a time, before pizzerias or Taco Bells, there was a troll named Rumpelstiltskin who began to wonder what a human baby would taste like.

Straw Into Gold

Once upon a time, in the days before Social Security or insurance companies, there lived a miller and his daughter, Della, who were fairly well-off and reasonably happy until the day their mill burned down.

The Domovoi

Once upon a time, before home security systems and trained guard dogs, if you lived in Russia the way to keep your home safe and happy was to have a domovoi living beneath your basement. 

Papa Rumpelstiltskin

Once upon a time, before bread was plastic-wrapped and sold in supermarkets, there lived a miller named Otto and his daughter, Christina.

Ms. Rumpelstiltskin

Once upon a time, before eyelash curlers and lip liner, there lived a very plain girl by the name of Rumpelstiltskin.

As Good As Gold

Once upon a time, before movie stars or rock singers or professional athletes, the people everybody most wanted to meet were kings and queens.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2000 , fairy tales , Houghton Mifflin Harcourt , J Fantasy , J Fiction , library book , short stories , YA Fantasy , YA Fiction

My Fair Godmother

My Fair Godmother. Janette Rallison. 2009. Walker. 320 pages. 

Here's my definition of a bad day: your boyfriend of four months--who until twelve seconds ago, you thought was the most perfect guy to set foot on earth--breaks up with you. My definition of a truly horrible day: the aforementioned boy dumps you for none other than your sister. The definition of my life: he does all of this right after you inform him that you blew your last dollar buying your dream prom dress. He asks if you can get a refund. It turns out he'll be asking your sister. 

Chrysanthemum (Chrissy) Everstar, who is just a "fair" godmother, has been assigned to the Delano family. She's not exactly told which sister is her assignment, but after observing these sisters in crisis, she makes her decision. Savannah, the "cheated" younger sister, will get three wishes. But, as you can imagine, Savannah's three wishes do not go according to plan.

For her "fair" godmother, is a little too literal for the imprecise wishing of a confused teen girl. For Savannah does not truly want to be Cinderella. Or Snow White. She does not want to be in the Middle Ages at all. She soon learns that she's not the only one affected by her wishing. For Chrissy has sent Tristan, a guy who is semi-interested in Savannah, to the Middle Ages as well, in an attempt to make Savannah's prom date a prince. These wishes will test Savannah. Challenge her to examine herself, her choices, her priorities. By feeling responsible for Tristan, Savannah learns a little something about love and life. Can she "save" her would-be prince?

She lowered her wand and sent me a condescending look. "You know, even for a mortal, you're really ungrateful."
"Ungrateful for what? To be here? A cyclops tried to eat me not long ago."
She brushed off my comment with one perfectly manicured hand. "Did you think wishes were like kittens, that all they were going to do was purr and cuddle with you?" She shook her head benevolently. "Those types of wishes have no power. The only wishes that will ever change you are the kind that may, at any moment, eat you whole. But in the end, they are the only wishes that matter." (243)

I enjoyed My Fair Godmother. I enjoyed the light romance. I enjoyed the humor. (I loved the time Savannah spent as Snow White. I loved the seven dwarves.) Yes, some of it was at Savannah's expense. But still, even though these situations were painful for Savannah, they helped change her for the better.

See also: Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2009 , fairy tales , review copy , Walker Books , wish fulfillment , YA Fantasy , YA Fiction , YA Romance