Dad: Today we are reading "Fairly Fairy Tales" by Esme Raji Codell and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. Although "reading" doesn't seem like the right word. It feels more like "playing."
Gracie (age 10): This book doesn't remind me of anything else. It's pretty unique.
Isaac (age 12): The book is about this little person...
Elijah (age 5): Little person?
Isaac: Ha ha - we don't know... That's one of our questions. Is it a little boy or a little girl?
Gracie: It's a girl.
Dad: I thought it was a boy. I think the kid is drawn in a way so everyone can identify.
Gracie: It's a girl.
Lily (age 8): The book is about this kid that is going to bed.
Isaac: But the little person doesn't want to go to bed. So the mom reads all these bedtime stories. But in each story the mom adds something. So for the Cinderella book it goes, "Fairy godmother? Yes. Glass slipper? Yes. Pumpkin coach? Yes. Disco ball?"
All the Kids: "Nooooo!!!!"
Isaac: But then she says, "Well maybe." And the book shows a big picture of what would happen if there was a disco ball in the story.
Gracie: Cinderella has a gorgeous dress. I love her boogie dress. But the fairy godmother's outfit freaks me out. And the prince looks like Elvis.
Isaac: No - he looks like one of those Ken dolls.
Gracie: He does! Cinderella also has cool shoes. There are fishes in her shoes!
Elijah: You would have to break her shoes to feed the fish.
Dad: You guys sure had big smiles on your faces while we read this book.
Gracie: Well, we love it!
Dad: You guys almost wouldn't let me get the words out.
Gracie: We all wanted to shout the part that goes "Noooooo!"
Dad: You enjoyed saying "No" to Dad without getting in trouble.
Gracie: THAT is fun.
Elijah: Even I can read this book!
Dad: Yeah - you know where all the yeses and no's and maybes go. And all you have to do is look at the pictures to plug in the rest.
Isaac: I like the art in this book.
Dad: This book would have been like a "game" for the illustrator, don't you think? It's almost as if the author made a challenge: "the Red Riding Hood story... plus Shampoo! Ha, ha! What are you going to do with that?" And then the illustrator had to come up with an answer.
Gracie: That would be fun.
Isaac: We could do that. We should all do that.
Lily: You could make a whole bunch of different ideas.
Isaac: And then pick the best one.
Gracie: Fun!
Dad: Would this also have been a fun book to write?
Gracie: Yes. But I would think it would be better to illustrate.
Dad: Like the writer is making the game, and the illustrator is playing the game.
Isaac: Even if the author told her what to draw, it would still be fun.
Dad: So should we try it?
Isaac: Let's think of one. Sleeping Beauty. That would be a good one!
Gracie: Thorn bush?
Dad: Yes.
Gracie: Castle?
Dad: Yes.
Gracie: Evil fairy?
Dad: Yes.
Gracie: Shopping cart?
Elijah: No - ho ho ho ho!
Lily: Hee hee heee hee hee!
Dad: See! That's just as fun, isn't it!
Gracie: YEAH!!!
Elijah: Shopping cart! Shopping cart!
Dad: You guys want in on the action now, huh?
Lily: I'm going to do Rapunzel!
Dad: Have at it.
Lily: Tower?
Dad: Yes.
Lily: Hair?
Dad: Yes.
Lily: Prince?
Dad: Yes.
Lily: Baby's pacifier?
Gracie: Pacifier!?! HA ha ha!
Elijah: I've got one! Sleeping Beauty!
Gracie: I already did Sleeping Beauty.
Elijah: But I have a good one!
Dad: That's okay. He can do Sleeping Beauty over again.
Elijah: Sleeping?
Dad: Yes.
Elijah: Princess?
Dad: Yes.
Elijah: Um... Sleeping?
Gracie: Ha ha ha!
Dad: Yes again!
Elijah: Spiderman?
Lily: Hee ha ha ha! What!
Isaac: I've got one for Rumpelstiltskin.
Dad: Okay.
Isaac: Princess?
Dad: Yes.
Isaac: Little angry dwarf?
Dad: Ha ha ha - it's already funny! Yes.
Isaac: Baby?
Dad: Yep.
Isaac: And..... llamas!
Gracie: I have a new one. Seven Dwarfs?
Dad: Yes.
Gracie: Magic Mirror?
Dad: Yes.
Gracie: Poison Apple?
Dad: Yes.
Gracie: Ballet slippers?
Dad: Hmmm... maybe!
Gracie: Hee hee hee!
Dad: So what do you think? Which is more fun? Coming up with the funny thing... or drawing it?
Isaac: I don't know! They're both REALLY fun!
Dad: Well now you guys can go draw your ideas. Then you can compare the two sides!
Gracie: This is fun! It's classics with a twist.
Rapunzel's hair + pacifiers, by Lily
Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into llamas, by Isaac
Sleeping Beauty + Spiderman, by Elijah
Snow White & Seven Dwarfs + ballet slippers, by Gracie*** You can always click our pictures for larger viewing :)
Author: Esme Raji Codell
Illustrator: Elisa Chavarri
Published, 2011: Aladdin
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