Thursday Three: Fairy Tales

I'm still thinking about Fairy Tales a lot, so I want to share some of my favorite retellings for young readers.
1.  Ella Enchanted
This book is such a cute retelling of Cinderella.  In this version Ella is cursed with obedience.  Whatever anybody tells her to do, she must obey.  Of course there are those that abuse it, but Ella is feisty and won't go down without a fight.  She takes off on an adventure to find the fairy who cursed her, hoping she will undo it.  She finds her prince and falls in love, but her curse drives them apart.  Of course she figures out a way around it and gets her happily ever after, even rescuing the prince along the way.  The characters are a lot of fun, especially Ella.  She is strong and brave and doesn't need to be saved by anyone.  Definitely a fun and worthwhile read.
2.  The Frog Princess
This series started long before Disney did the movie.  It has a similar premise though.  Emma is a princess who isn't quite what her mother wants her to be.  While hiding out from the odious prince Jorge, she meets a frog that convinces her to kiss him.  If she does, he will return to his human prince form.  Instead, her kiss turns her into a frog.  The two then must survive long enough to find a way to reverse the curse.  It is a really silly and fun book.  Full of adventure and laughs, this book is a light, fluffy read for girls everywhere.  If you enjoy it, the series continues through eight books.
3.  Beauty
This is a fun retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  Unlike the original, this version finds Beauty with a loving family and a good life, one she does not want to leave to fulfill the promise her father makes to the Beast.  At least half of the book takes place before Beauty goes to the castle and meets the Beast.  In my opinion, I wish there was more time with the Beast, developing that part of the story more.  It all happens too fast, but as a fan of this fairy tale, I still enjoyed this version.  It is very descriptive and the writing is lovely.  I really enjoyed the development of the back story.  After all, this book is supposed to be about Beauty, and her meeting the Beast is only part of her story.