Auckland Council Libraries: Tales retold

Tales retold

Have you ever wondered what happened after the ending in classic children’s tales? Filled with fairy tales, classic stories and some alternate and modern twists on loved stories, this list of children’s reads will delight avid readers!

The Princess and the suffragette

Holly Webb

Book

It is 1913, nine years after Sara Crewe escapes Miss Minchin's orphanage. Young Lottie learns about the Suffragette movement from Sara on one of her visits. This is a story about the power of friendship and female empowerment.

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Five children on the western front

Kate Saunders

Book

An epic follow-on from E. Nesbit's ‘Five Children and It.’ The children have grown up and World War 1 has begun. The sand fairy suddenly reappears but this time he is here for a reason, and his magic might have a more serious purpose.

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Return to the secret garden

Holly Webb

Book

It's 1939 and a group of children have been evacuated to Misselthwaite Hall. Return to Frances Hodgson Burnett's timeless classic, ‘The Secret Garden’, in this magical sequel by bestselling author Holly Webb.

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The actual & truthful adventures of Becky Thatcher

Jessica Lawson

Book

In 1860, eleven-year-old Becky Thatcher is the new girl in town, determined to have adventures of her own. Becky Thatcher has her side of the story to tell in this creative spin on Mark Twain's beloved The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

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Sleeping Beauty's daughters

Diane Zahler

Book

The classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty is transformed into a dazzling new story of two sisters fighting a powerful curse by Diane Zahler.

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West of the moon

Margi Preus

Book

Margi Preus expertly weaves original fiction with folktale to tell the story of Astri, a young Norwegian girl and her sister. The girls must head over the mountains, as they steadily make their way east of the sun and west of the moon.

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Ella enchanted

Gail Carson Levine

Book

At her birth, Ella of Frell receives a foolish fairy's gift of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her! A superbly plotted and enjoyable retelling of the Cinderella story that combines elements of the original and greatly expands them.

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The cottage in the woods

Katherine Coville

Book

Once upon a time, there was a girl with golden locks. But that's just the beginning of this tale. The real story begins with a bear. For fans of Shannon Hale and Michael Buckley comes a luminous new twist on a tale readers only thought they knew.

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Curse of the thirteenth fey

Jane Yolen

Book

Gorse is the youngest in a family of fairies. When she falls ill just as the family is bid to bless the new princess, a fairy tale starts to unfold. In this tale, Jane Yolen tells readers the "true" story of the fairy who cursed Sleeping Beauty.

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Wild magic

Cat Weatherill

Book

Mari and her brother Jakob have followed the enchanted music and are now trapped in a world of wild magic. Dark, magical and exciting, Cat Weatherill's new fantasy takes the legend of the Pied Piper and gives it an unexpected twist.

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Once upon a toad

Heather Vogel. Frederick

Book

Cat Starr lived with her astronaut mom in Houston. But when her mother is sent on a mission, Cat moves to her dad's house, and shares a room with her stepsister, Olivia. This is an enchanting fractured fairy tale by Heather Vogel Frederick.

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Nightingale's nest

Nikki Loftin

Book

Inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen story, this novel is about a boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders and a girl with the gift of healing in her voice.

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Book list by:

Image of Surani

Surani

LibrarianGlen Eden Library

Auckland Council Libraries:Book list Recommended reading lists about different topics and genres to help you find new books to read.