Fiction Friday: Chapter 3

Hello fellow book lovers! Today it's Fiction Saturday. It's not as catchy as Fiction Friday, but we shall make do. I mean, there's never a bad day to talk about books, right?

This week I read...

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstilktskin

by Liesle Shurtliff

Born in a town that believes your name is your destiny, Rump has gotten the short end of the stick. He only has half a name and possibly half a destiny. The only one who knows his true name is his mother, who died shortly after giving birth and whispered his full name into his ear. Unfortunately, all anyone heard was Rump. Rump does have one special skill though...spinning straw into gold. However, magic comes at a cost and the more Rump tries to undo his mess, the more trouble he finds himself in. He must discover his true name to control his magic and make his own destiny.

As a huge fan of Once Upon a Time (the TV show) and The Sister's Grimm (the series by Michael Buckley), I had a feeling I would enjoy this fractured fairy tale and it did not disappoint. The book was a fast paced fun read with many twists and turns of the original fairy tale cleverly woven together. I loved reading the story from Rump's perspective and seeing him as a little boy trying to find his way in a world full of magical rules that can't be broken. Most often the villain in fairy tales, Shurtliff showcases Rumpelstiltskin in a whole new light and explains the significance behind his unusual name. After all, "A Name is powerful thing."

Liesl Shurtliff's imaginative twist on this classic fairy tale is an excellent read for fans of the this genre and I'm looking forward to her next fractured tale Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk due out Spring 2015. As for Rump, I'm adding this to my stack of possible read aloud for the upcoming year.

Lulu Walks the Dogs

by Judith Viorst

When Lulu's parents tell her she is going to have to earn her own money to buy the thing she is "ALWAYS and FOREVER going to want," Lulu decides to start a dog walking business in her neighborhood. The only problem is that Lulu doesn't know much about dogs.  Luckily, the boy down the street, Fleischman does. The only problem with that is Fleishman appears to be perfect, annoyingly perfect. He is polite, intelligent, helpful, and everyone loves him...except Lulu. Lulu is stubborn, but finally realizes they are going to have to find a way to work together or kiss the dog walking business and all the money that goes with it good bye.

Lulu Walks the Dogs is written by one of my favorite childhood authors Judith Viorst. She wrote Alexander and Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day among others. I've always loved her characters because they are so true to kids. They are strong-willed and stubborn and smart. I love that!

Although it is technically a chapter book, it is an extremely quick read. Some pages only have one paragraph and other pages are a mix of text and illustrations courtesy of Lane Smith.

This will be a great addition to my classroom library. As with all Judith Viorst stories, the kids will  relate to Lulu and Fleischman's troubles and will enjoy the direct and humorous story telling. As the teacher I liked the ending.  I know I've said it before and I'll say it again...We don't all have to be very best friends with everyone in class but we do need to respect each other, get along with each other, and find a way to work together. Lulu and Fleischman do just that!

Now, it's your turn to share your newest favorites or reliable classics. Link up to Fiction Friday anytime & let's celebrate children's literature. Just a friendly reminder... please link back here when you link up.

Happy Reading!!

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