A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale

Praise for There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight:
 
“Klostermann’s debut is a rollicking and warped Medieval take on the well-worn cumulative rhyme. . . . No matter how many swallowed-fly titles you own, this one belongs on your shelf too.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Mantle’s illustrations are full of primary colors and are quite expressive.” —School Library Journal


 
A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale

William dreams of being a chef known throughout the magical land of fairy tales, but he can’t quite get his career to take off. When he delivers caramel-drizzled baked apples, bean soup, and pumpkin pie to Fairy-Tale Headquarters for Snow White, Jack, and Cinderella respectively, rather than the whole fruit and veg they need for their story, the disappointed head of Fairy-Tale HQ sends him on his way. It turns out, though, that the characters love William’s creations and they put new (and delicious) twists on the familiar tales. Snow White falls asleep after stuffing herself with caramel apples, Jack is able to trade the bowl of soup for the giant’s castle, and Cinderella—well, she ends up covered in pie, but William’s quick thinking gives them both the happily-ever-afters they were looking for. While folktale twists are fairly old hat, this layers some tasty frosting on the well-worn joke, and viewers will enjoy picking out all the fairy-tale references scattered through the backgrounds of Mantle’s slick but energetic illustrations. This entry the fractured-fairy-tale genre will leave viewers hungry for more. Bulletine for the Center for Children’s Books
 

William might live in the land of fairy tales, but he just wants to cook. More interested in pastries than princesses, William’s tried plying his culinary trade around the fairy-tale kingdom. At the Brick House (run by the Three Pigs), “the menu was too dangerous” (think Pot-o’-Wolf Stew). At Three Bears Bistro, the customers were too picky about the food’s temperature. And his stint at Gingerbread-on-the-Go ended in a footrace with the cookies. Setting out to acquire ingredients to cook from home, he finds a box addressed to Fairy-Tale Headquarters containing apples, beans, and a pumpkin. He decides to spruce up their menu and cooks a delightful dish with each—but Judy at headquarters and the fairy-tale folk who’d ordered the original ingredients for their tales are aghast. After reading the book of fairy tales they send him away with, William rushes back to see what’s happened. Snow White passed out after eating every one of his delicious baked apples, but the prince kissed her awake, so all’s well there. Jack traded the yummy bean soup for the giant’s castle, so that’s ended well also. But what can Cinderella do with a pumpkin pie? It works out happily ever after for everyone, especially William. Klostermann’s triple-twisted tale is a cute concoction that children familiar with the traditional stories will enjoy. Mantle’s bright, cartoon illustrations pair neatly with the text and propel the story with whimsical sight gags and charm to spare. Save a passing giant and a few of the dwarves, all the human or humanoid characters are white (or green). All that’s missing are the recipes. Kirkus June 15