Whatever After – Fairest of All
by Sarah Mlnowski, published 2012
“It’s okay,” Snow says, lowering her head. “I don’t need to marry a prince. I don’t mind living with the dwarfs for the rest of my life.” “No…that is NOT the way your story goes….”
What do you get when a 21st century girl and her brother become entangled with the eternal Snow White? A terrific children’s book, with laughs, serious lessons, and a great read for younger children. I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this easy to read book. However, what I got was a totally enjoyable reading experience. I didn’t have to work to hard to decode words, to get the jokes, and to stay hooked to the end in order to see what happens.
It’s not that often that I come across a children’s book like this that is both very well written, and written simply. There are many young (third grade) readers that would be able to read this, and for those who are struggling readers, its humor provides just the right incentive for becoming a stronger reader. Since it’s based on such a well-known tale, it also makes the story very accessible to today’s children.
There is, throughout the fun, a lovely message, which is about accepting change. However, the lighthearted approach makes this little lesson quite easy to take in.
It’s possible this children’s book could be a fun read-aloud for some children. However, it is probably a little sophisticated for anyone younger than second grade. I’d put the age range on this one as 8 to 11.
This children’s book appears to be the first in a series of other books also based on fairy tales. Book 2 is about Cinderalla, the third one is the Little Mermaid, and there’s a fourth on the way. If your child enjoys the first ‘fractured fairy tale’, I’d check out the others as well.
