When most people think of reading fairy tales, they think of little children. however, there are so many older children (and adults!) who also enjoy a great story. I will never forget the first time I opened Evil: The Life and Times of the Evil Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire as a teenager. I was instantly hooked and went on to devour every book I could find by the author. My oldest daughter is now a teenager and she also enjoys fairy tale chapter books, so I thought I’d compile a list of some of her favorites to share from her. I hope she finds something new and intriguing to add to her son’s “to read” pile!
fairy tale chapter books for older children
frog by vivian vande velde
You are reading: Fairy tale chapter books
This fractured fairy tale is a spin on the classic The Frog Prince follows Princess Imogene as she is deceived by a talking frog. She kisses him, expecting a prince to appear, but turns into a frog herself! She doesn’t want to curse someone else to rid herself of her amphibian form, so she sets off to find an alternate way to end her plight. Along the way, she is kidnapped by a traveling theatre troupe and forced to perform. Fun antics and adventure soon follow!
punished by megan morrison
This is Rapunzel in a whole new light! Rapunzel lives in a magical tower that obeys her every command, she reads book after book in which she is the main heroine! How could life in the magical world of Tyme get any better? Then one day a young man named Jack climbs her tower and a world of unanswered questions opens for her. What will she discover upon leaving her tower about her life and past?
the despereaux tale of kate dicamillo
Many may be familiar with the film based on this book, but if you’ve never read the story behind the screen, you simply must pick up this delightful tale! Despereaux Tilling is a mouse with a heart full of adventure and love for a princess named Pea. There are mature elements to the story that is really a look at dark versus light, good versus evil. Every page will keep you turning to find out what will happen next!
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the sisters grimm: fairy tale detectives by michael buckley
This is a series of books that follows the story of two orphaned sisters, Sabrina and Daphne. Upon the discovery that not only are they descendants of the Brothers Grimm, but that their fairy tales are actually real events from history, the sisters begin a new life direction-solving fantastical mysteries!
she charmed by gail carson levine
A Cinderella tale about a girl who meets her prince, but in order to find her happy ending, she must first figure out how to break a spell given to her as a gift that requires her to obey any and all commands given to her. they give him . She will have to overcome ogres, giants, and her obnoxious stepmother and stepsisters to accomplish this feat, but her determination carries her through the odds.
ammi-joan paquette’s hourglass princess juniper
Princess Juniper longs to finally be in charge of her own country, but when her father sends her to the Hourglass Mountains while some unhappy rumblings begin to brew in their kingdom, she learns many valuable lessons about what leadership really means. This book is the first in a trilogy about Princess Juniper.
vivian velde vande’s impostor princess
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Princess Gabriella awakes one day surrounded by some extremely mischievous fairies who have decided to take one of their own and replace the princess! This fairy imposter revels in the royally lavish lifestyle while the princess must learn how to maintain her composure and training as she works through her time living with the raucous fairies.
the lost kingdom of bamarre by gail carson levine
Peregrine, raised by a lord and lady, strives to please her parents and her people-the Latki. When the truth that she is adopted is revealed, she discovers that she is actually born of the Bamarre people, who are oppressed by the Latki. Heavy decisions loom for the 15 year old girl, who must choose between the people who raised her or the people to whom she was born.
the crown of sharon creech castle
A king and his family who have everything they’ve ever wanted and more, but are still extremely dissatisfied, meet two orphaned slaves who, despite their circumstances, remain strong and positive. when the two worlds collide, dazzling magic occurs and many lessons are learned about what truly makes a person happy.
vasilisa the wise woman by kate forsyth
These epic stories of brave young women were passed down for ages. Difficult journeys to find purpose, filled with inspiration, grit, and adventure were shared amongst the clan to grow their young girls into strong women who would make deep impacts on those around them.
Have any of these readings intrigued you today? Are there others you would add to the list?
For fairy tale fun for younger children, check out these funny Cinderella tales!
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