A Tale Dark & Grimm

Wow, did I enjoy reading this. Gidwitz is, first of all, a fantastic storyteller. The tale is pretty complex, and also fairly horrifying, but it moves at a rapid pace and is constantly enlivened by clever jokes, allusions, and tongue-in-cheek "warnings" about what's to come. These last will appeal to bloody-minded readers of all ages, by which I of course mean everyone.And yet all the while, Gidwitz seems to be communicating this profound wisdom about childhood, and parents, and families, and anything you can think of that's related. I know extremely little about children's literature and especially little about the Grimm's tales, so I can't say much from that perspective. But as an adult, the poignant meditations on growing up, and on what parents can and can't be, struck me among many, many other things.In fact, this happened so many times that I wondered whether this book is secretly written primarily for adults. I will not be surprised if I return to this when I have my own children, as a guide to their world and my role in it. Highly recommended.

Youth love the book.

This is a great book for reading bed-time stories to slightly older kids, maybe six or seven year olds. The stories really are bloody and grim so don't read it to children prone to nightmares. Each of the stories is self-contained but also part of a larger story staring Hansel and Gretel.These stories remind me of the stories I used to make up for my kids when they were young. Kids like blood and gore, suspense and danger, along with resourceful, capable children in charge of their own destinies. So many of the old fairy tales have been watered down that they are completely boring. At the same time, we expose children to so much violence on TV and in movies, it is like we have multiple personality disorder.While this book does have a lot of violence, the kids are clever and brave. Children will root for them and it will give them the idea that they too can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

What if the fairy tales we all grew up with were real? It's a familiar question thanks to the recent popularity of television shows such as Grimm and Once Upon a Time which that take the tales many of us loved as children and grounds them in the present-day reality. The original Brothers Grimm tales were more often than not dark, scary, bloody, and violent -- stories that by today's standards are often deemed unacceptable for children. With his twisty, imaginative debut Gidwitz seeks to reclaim the imaginative power of the original fairy tales, reminding readers of just why these tales hold such a timeless, imaginative appeal. In A Tale Dark & Grimm, Gidwitz seeks to set the record straight about the true story Hansel and Gretel -- there's so much more to their experiences than an edible house and nearly getting turned into a witch's supper. Pulling no punches, Gidwitz follows Hansel and Gretel in their quest to come to terms with childhood, parental disappointment, and growing up, enriched by timeless Grimm classics that have inspired and fueled the imagination of countless generations navigating the murky, danger-filled waters leading to adulthood.Opening with Hansel and Gretel's birth in the Kingdom of Grimm, Gidwitz sets the record straight regarding their birth -- they were in fact the children born to the king and queen of "Faithful Johannes" fame, who lose their heads when their parents sacrifice their children in order to save a loyal servant. Disturbed -- and rightly so -- by the murderous tendencies of their parents, Hansel and Gretel run away from home in search of parents less willing to axe their offspring. Along the way they wander through the tale that bears their names (edible house and child-craving cook included), "The Seven Swallows" (a variation on "The Seven Ravens"), "Brother and Sister," "A Smile as Red as Blood" (a variation of "The Robber Bridegroom"), and "The Three Golden Hairs" (also known as "The Devil with Three Golden Hairs"). Each adventure tests Hansel and Gretel's bravery and endurance, leading them to a crossroads -- the point where they must decide that in order to achieve the future they desire, they first must return home to deal with the demons of their past.The adventures Hansel and Gretel surivive in Gidwitz's debut are from, for the most part, lesser known fairy tales -- lesser known, arguably, because they are decided un-PC by today's standards. Stories like "Faithful Johannes" and "The Seven Ravens" are decidedly darker in tone and content than the more famous stories white-washed by Disney and the like for public consumption. Gidwitz retains the violence (hello, losing your heads!) and darkness (trips to hell) of the original fairy tales, interpsersing commentary from a hilarious narrator (very much in the vein of Lemony Snicket), urging those of a squeamish nature to close the book and run. It's a shame that the original Grimm stories are perhaps discovered only after a person has been introduced to a more "sanitized" retelling, because the whole delightful purpose of folk and fairy tales, in all their wonderful extremes, was a way of teaching one how to live -- cautionary, hopeful, adventuresome tales that understood life is hard but worth it.In his delightfully snarky, entertaining debut, Gidwitz understands the purpose of fairy tales in a manner in which most of society today has arguably lost -- that "to find the brightest widsom one must pass through the darkest zones. And through the darkest zones there can be no guide. No guide, that is, but courage." It's a study in the resilience of fairy tales, the power of childhood imagination, and an unexpected picture of grace -- underscoring that moment when, as children, our parents become human and less than perfect, and how in extending the grace of understanding that life is hard, but worthwhile, a new generation rises up and the circle begins anew. I'm thoroughly looking forward to Gidwitz's follow-up, In a Glass Grimmly, releasing this September.

Adam Gidwitz has created a perfect tale to introduce children and adults to the REAL Brother's Grimm with his "A Tale Dark & Grimm"You are hooked from the very first line... "Once upon a time fairy tales were awesome." Gidwitz then proceeds to tell a tale just like those 'once upon a time awesome fairy tales'Gidwitz uses the characters of Hansel and Gretel to lead us into that dark, violent and bloody world of the Brothers Grimm but he does so in a way that makes you laugh, smile and be thoroughly entertained along the way.This is not a retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story... it is much more. Gidwitz tells us his version of the 'entire' story of Hansel and Gretel... not just the part when they meet the witch. We learn about their parents and what really made Hansel and Gretel run into the woods. We learn what happens after the episode with the witch and that is when we are introduced into additional classic Grimm tales as Hansel and Gretel must make their way through adventure after adventure and in the process find each other again and find their way back home and be reunited with their parents!What makes this tale stand apart is how Gidwitz offers his own editorial comments along the way! He lets the reader know when something gruesome is about to occur as well as offering some 'insights' into the story."Find a baby sister for the little ones before you go on" he warns... as well as reaching "THE END" and then commenting 'almost' or 'sort of' and then the story would continue.When you do finish you realize that you have just read something really special.I walked away realizing that I just read a story that celebrates children and who they are, what they represent and what they are capable of doing and above all what makes them so special!This is a story that can easily be read in one sitting... and then can be read again... and again... to child after child.Enchanting!

What a great story. After watching the series on Netflix I had to read it. It was too cold to go outside this book and a hot cup of tea made my day. Thank you😁

I was worried my 6 y/o would be grossed out by this but he absolutely loves it. A fun and funny chapter book that puts a spin on traditional fairy tales. Be warned that it is quite gruesome but not explicit.

Excellent !

Bought for a grandchild, who is really enjoying it.

My seven year old son is a big fan of this author’s podcast. He’s a bit young to read this himself so I read it to him. He wouldn’t let me put it down the first evening until 100+ pages later. Take heed of the warning about blood and gore - Hansel and Gretel get their heads cut off in the first chapter (although they are put back on pretty quickly).