Check It Out:

“Once upon a time…” are the magical words that can lead you into a fairy tale adventure. The words are familiar to all, but really, how well do you know your classic fairy tales? Introduce your children to some of the classics, look for a classic with a twist, or look for a new fairy tale. From Disney to the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen to Mother Goose there is something at the Newport Beach Public Library for everyone.

For younger readers there are plenty of stories about young princes and princesses. Robert Munsch’s “The Paperbag Princess” tells the story of a young girl with the determination to rescue her prince when he is captured by the dragon who destroys her castle. In “Princess Peepers” by Pam Calvert our heroine loves wearing her glasses — until the other princesses at school make fun of her. So, the princess takes off her glasses and gets into all kinds of trouble. Can she still get to the ball in time to dance with the prince and prove she doesn’t need glasses?

In “Waking Beauty” by Leah Wilcox, Prince Charming tries all kinds of things to awaken Sleeping Beauty, until he learns how he is really supposed to wake her. “The Prince Won’t Go To Bed!” by Dayle Ann Dodds tells the hilarious antics of the royal household helping the young prince go to sleep. Children will delight in the antics of the adults who are not successful in finding out what the prince needs before he can go to sleep.

The unique portrayal of “The Princess and the Pea” by Lauren Child will draw parents and children into this retold story. The prince plays his classic role with a modern twist. The language choices are both informative and modern enough to draw in readers. “The Frog Prince, Continued” by Jon Scieszka tells the story after the “happily ever after” ending to the original story of the Frog Prince. As it turns out, the prince is not so happy with the princess so he goes searching for a witch to help him solve his problem.

Older readers may enjoy titles by Robin McKinley, Gail Carson Levine, E.D. Baker, or Shannon Hale, master storytellers who present fairy tales in novel form. These authors have also created their own individual fairy-tale worlds full of magic and adventure.