Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Blog Tour (review)

Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves 

by Liesl Shurtliff 

May 29, 2018 

Knopf BFYR 

Add on Goodreads 

Amazon / B&N / Indiebound 

Source: ARC from pub 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rump, comes the true story behind another unlikely hero: a grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White's feud with the wicked queen. 

Ever since he was a dwarfling, Borlen (nicknamed "Grump") has dreamed of visiting The Surface, so when opportunity knocks, he leaves his cavern home behind.

At first, life aboveground is a dream come true. Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.) is the best friend Grump always wanted, feeding him all the rubies he can eat and allowing him to rule at her side in exchange for magic and information. But as time goes on, Grump starts to suspect that Queen E.V.I.L. may not be as nice as she seems. . . . 

When the queen commands him to carry out a horrible task against her stepdaughter Snow White, Grump is in over his head. He's bound by magic to help the queen, but also to protect Snow White. As if that wasn't stressful enough, the queen keeps bugging him for updates through her magic mirror! He'll have to dig deep to find a way out of this pickle, and that's enough to make any dwarf Grumpy indeed. 

Everyone knows the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, right? Wrong! The true story doesn't really start with Snow White, it starts with a dwarf named Borlen (nicknamed Grump) who dreams of visiting the forbidden Surface. You see dwarves lives wayyyy underground, where they mine for delicious gems, live to be very old, and never ever go above ground...because The Surface is home to the feared greedy humans. But the call of The Surface is too strong for young Borlen, who ventures above and meets Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (aka Queen E.V.I.L) who really doesn't seem that bad. She treats Borlen well and feeds him yummy rubies. But then she orders him to do something awful to her stepdaughter, Snow White, and he is unable to disobey because he's bound by magic. What's a grumpy, yet determined young dwarf to do? 

Liesl Shurtliff returns to her charming middle-grade (Fairly) True Tale series with Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and takes readers on a rollicking adventure full of unexpected twists, bewitching magic, laugh-out-loud mishaps, and lovable characters! 

Once again, Liesl Shurtliff takes a beloved fairy tale and sprinkles it with loads of imagination, humor, and heart to create a captivating reimagining that feels both timeless and refreshingly new. From the cozy, gem-filled underground home of the dwarves to the dazzling castle home of Queen E.V.I.L and the beautiful forest Snow and the dwarves find themselves in, readers will love exploring this fun world. Shurtliff's creative take on dwarves and dwarf culture is wonderfully whimsical and thought out, especially the importance and meaning of the various stones and gems they mine and ingest. 

One of the most fun things about a reimagining is getting to see different aspects of beloved characters and Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves definitely does not disappoint when it comes to this. Shurtliff's Snow White is an endearing mix of feisty heroine and slightly spoiled princess, while Grump and his six dwarf companions are allowed to be so much more than the silly names they're usually associated with (Grumpy, Dopey, Bashful, Sneezy, Doc, Happy, Sleepy). And readers will have fun trying to match Shurtliff's other six dwarves with those original silly names. 

Bursting with adventure, mischief, heart, and humor, Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is an exciting page-turner and effective reimagining for the middle-grade crowd! 

MY RATING

4/5 Cupcakes

Liesl Shurtliff is the author of the New York Times Bestseller RUMP and other (Fairly) True Tales. She was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world! Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and four children. 

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Review: Jack, The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

by Liesl Shurtliff

4/14/15

Knopf Books for Young Readers

Jack has always been told that giants are not real. But if that’s the case, how do you explain the huge, foot shaped pond in the yard, or the occurrence of strange and sudden storms in which the earth quakes and dirt rains from the sky? When his father is carried away in such a storm, Jack gives chase in the only logical way: by trading the family cow for some magic beans that will give him access to a land beyond the clouds. He arrives to find that the giants themselves have giant-sized troubles. With the help of an overachieving little sister, a magic goose and a chatty cook (who is not interested in grinding human bones into bread, thank you very much!) Jack sets out to save his dad and save the day.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

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Giants are not real...at least that’s what naughty boy, Jack, has always been told. But Jack isn’t so sure. What about the stories of his great-great-many-greats grandfather who was a famous giant slayer? And what about the giant shaped pond or the strange noises and storms? No, Jack is convinced giants are real, and when his father is taken during a giant raid, Jack sets out on a journey beyond the clouds. He is determined to save his father, but discovers that the world of giants isn’t quite what he was led to believe.

Liesl Shurtliff returns to the world of whimsical middle-grade retellings with the wonderful Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Once again, Shurtliff uses her sparkling, pitch-perfect writing; fun humor; and clever imagination to weave an exciting and charming tale. Jack’s adventures are full of thrilling peril, fantastical experiences, and amusing characters. Young readers will be captivated by the surprising world of giants and its intriguing inhabitants. From feisty pixies, magical seeds, hitching rides on mice and cats, and a gold-greedy giant king, the giant world is never dull and provides readers with endless amusements.

Jack is a plucky, resourceful, and instantly likable fella. Readers will admire his courage, laugh at his sometimes naughty behavior, and eagerly root for him. From Jack’s clever, brave little sister to his endearing new friend Tom; a tender-hearted giant cook; and others, Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk is chock full of fantastic characters.

A daring escape, an unlikely alliance, and a whole lot of crazy-fun adventure, the end of Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk will make readers cheer.

my final thoughts: Full of whimsy, humor, adventure, and lovable characters, Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk is giant fun!

MY RATING

4/5 yummy cupcakes

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Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world!

Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and three young children, where she still dreams of the mountains. Rump is her first novel.

Review and Giveaway: Rump (The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin) by Liesl Shurtliff

Be sure to check out the full March MG Madness schedule of events and giveaways here.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

by Liesl Shurtliff

4/9/13

Random House

Format: e-galley

Source: from pub

add on goodreads

In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke.Rump has never known his full name—his mother died before she could tell him. So all his life he's been teased and bullied for his half-a-name. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. For Rump discovers he can spin straw into gold. Magical gold.His best friend Red Riding Hood warns him that magic is dangerous—and she's right! That gold is worth its weight in trouble. And with each thread he spins, Rump weaves himself deeper into a curse.There's only one way to break the spell: Rump must go on a quest to find his true name, along the way defending himself against pixies, trolls, poison apples, and one beautiful but vile-mannered queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—Rump just might triumph in the end.

 I am a huge fan of fairytale re-tellings and Liesl Shurtliff's Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin is a quirky and delightful tale that introduces readers to a more endearing Rumpelstiltskin than they may be used to.

Twelve year old Rump lives in a place where one's name is one' destiny. So, it isn't easy having a name like Rump. His mother dies before she could give Rump his full name and it seems he is destined for nothing spectacular. Then he finds his mother's old spinning wheel and discovers that he can spin straw into gold. But this gift of magic comes with a heavy price: Rump can only trade the gold for something in return, but he must accept any trade offered. Instead of riches and feasts, this magic gold just brings trouble. Big trouble in the form of greedy kings, bratty queens, pixies, trolls, long lost aunts, and a snarky best friend (Red Riding Hood). Rump sets out to find his true name and true destiny.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin is delightfully whimsical and as heartwarming as it is funny. Liesl Shurtliff has taken a fairytale character that is often disliked and given him a quirky, touching back-story full of adventure, fun, thrills, and charming characters.

Shurtliff creates a fantastical and enchanting world full of whimsy and fairytale fun. Rump's journey is an entertaining one, riddled with wonderment, exciting danger, awesome magical beings, and the unpredictable. From The Mountain to a crumbling castle to Beyond and Yonder, Rump travels far and wide to find his true name on an unforgettable adventure. Shurtliff incorporates many of the well-known aspects of the Rumpelstiltskin story, but adds a lot of her own creative and captivating touches to spin a story that is truly one of a kind. As fun and amusing as Rump's story is, the author also weaves in a great deal of heart and lovely lessons about family, love, selfishness, and acceptance

As someone who grew up with an unusual name and often felt like the pure oddness of it defined me, I could really relate to sweet Rump. He's such an endearing, determined fella who's impossible not to root for. Red is an awesome girl full of spark, snark, and heart. I love how unexpected all the characters are and how they constantly surprised me.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin sparkles and glitters like gold! Fairytale fans will enjoy getting to re-know an unforgettable Rumpelstiltskin and readers of all ages will be charmed by this fantastical story. 

MY RATING

Purchase: Amazon / B&N 

Liesl Shurtliff

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world!
Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and three young children, where she still dreams of the mountains. Rump is her first novel.

Win an e-galley of Rump!

Thanks to the generous people at Random House, one lucky cupcake will win an ebook copy of Rump.

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