Eh. If you’re looking for really thought provoking poetic twists on fairy tale stories, go find Anne Sexton’s Transformations. This one’s contemporary, and a really fast read, but the best thing about the book is the title. I suppose if you've got reluctant readers, it might be a decent choice, but it just feels like something dumbed down for teen readers. ( )

There are a few fresh ideas in this---I enjoyed "Bearskin," "The Emperor's New Clothes: An Afterword," "Little Thumb," and "Wolf"---but much of the book's intended edginess seemed a retread of all the typical fractured fairy tale stuff: incest (maybe?), the tedium of ever afters, women who crave danger and abuse, selfish heroes and heroines, etc. I didn't really feel as though I was discovering anything new about the original stories or, for that matter, fairy tales in general. As for the poetry, while it may suit some readers, it didn't really sing in my ears or catch me up in its imagery or wordplay. ( )

Not necessarily for middle readers (so why is it in my library?), LKaGiRD is a great, funny exploration into the psyche of fairytale characters without overstaying its welcome. The tales are short (between a page and a couple), to the point, and thought provoking. ( )

strange free verse about the flip side of fairy tales. Some darkness, some humor, and a lot of weird... ( )

This struck me as much more interesting and intelligent than those "twisted fairy tales" I had to hear about all through college.
I chuckled, I rolled my eyes, but most importantly, I wanted to finish each poem. ( )