Author: Tim Manley
Publication Information: Penguin Group. 2013. 265 pages.
ISBN: 014312479X / 978-0143124795
ISBN: 014312479X / 978-0143124795
Book Source: I read this book because it reminded me of the Politically Correct Bedtime Stories series of books, which were very funny to read as an adult and to read with kids.
Favorite Quote: “When we look back, we simplify, we forget the sloughs and doubts and backward motions, and see only the shining curve of the story we told ourselves in order to keep ourselves alive and hopeful, that bright curve that led us on to the future. The radiant way.”
WARNING: This book is most definitely not for children.
The jacket of this book describes it as "more than one hundred fairly tales, illustrated and reimagined for today." What I expected was a retelling of familiar stories using the format and language of today's media - tumblr, Facebook, tweets, Instagram, and more. Unfortunately, this book is not quite that.
Tumblr is a social network and short form blogging platform. It allows users to create text and multimedia posts on private or public blogs. That, as the title suggests, is what the book does. Each set of two pages includes one illustration and some text. The books goes back and forth between different characters - Peter Pan, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Pinocchio to name a few.
Unfortunately, the naming of the characters is about all this book has in common with the original fairy tales. The book does not retell the stories. It merely uses the names of the characters and creates "posts" about all kinds of very adult topics. Topics like doping in athletics, sexual preferences, sexting, depression, Internet addiction, and other topics of similar seriousness. Timely topics, but definitely not the stuff of fairy tales.
The illustrations done in a sepia monochrome are interesting. Some of the posts are funny. For the most part though, it's not the book for me.
WARNING: This book is most definitely not for children.
The jacket of this book describes it as "more than one hundred fairly tales, illustrated and reimagined for today." What I expected was a retelling of familiar stories using the format and language of today's media - tumblr, Facebook, tweets, Instagram, and more. Unfortunately, this book is not quite that.
Tumblr is a social network and short form blogging platform. It allows users to create text and multimedia posts on private or public blogs. That, as the title suggests, is what the book does. Each set of two pages includes one illustration and some text. The books goes back and forth between different characters - Peter Pan, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Pinocchio to name a few.
Unfortunately, the naming of the characters is about all this book has in common with the original fairy tales. The book does not retell the stories. It merely uses the names of the characters and creates "posts" about all kinds of very adult topics. Topics like doping in athletics, sexual preferences, sexting, depression, Internet addiction, and other topics of similar seriousness. Timely topics, but definitely not the stuff of fairy tales.
The illustrations done in a sepia monochrome are interesting. Some of the posts are funny. For the most part though, it's not the book for me.
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