The Rumpelstiltskin Problem

Have you ever wondered just what was going on when that odd little man with the long name stepped up and volunteered to spin straw into gold for the miller’s daughter? If you stop and think about it, there are some very peculiar components to the story.

Vivian Vande Velde has wondered too, and she’s come up with these six alternative versions of the old legend. A bevy of miller’s daughters confront their perilous situation in very different ways—sometimes comic, sometimes scary, always unexpected.

This collection of witty and twisted fairy tales includes:

• Fractured Fairy Tales: Six brilliant new takes on the classic legend where the heroes might be villains, the miller’s daughter might be the one with a plan, and Rumpelstiltskin might not be who you think.
• Witty Humor: Hilarious, scary, and romantic stories that finally answer all the logical questions the original tale ignores, like ‘If she can spin straw into gold, why is her father still a poor miller?’
• Clever Heroines: Meet a variety of miller’s daughters—from a quick-thinking girl who teams up with an elf, to a conniving social climber a young king must outsmart.
• Unexpected Twists: Discover what happens when Rumpelstiltskin is a troll with a taste for babies, a lonely witch who just wants a child to love, or even the miller himself!

* "Vande Velde's takes on this fairy tale are always humorous and often heartwarming."—Publishers Weekly, starred review "An effective and amusing collection, with just the right amount of snappy sarcasm to snag the junior-high set."—Kirkus Reviews "These short variations on the story have a sly humor and a contemporary feeling. . . . will appeal most to fairy-tale fans who just can't get enough of the traditional genre."—School Library Journal