Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013. 272p. (9780307977939)

Interest Level: 3-6 grade ; Reading level: 4.1

I saw this book this spring on another blog somewhere and thought it looked interesting and something that might appeal to the students at my school. The bonus was that I enjoyed it as well and it made a flight across the US pass by quicker.

Goodreads Summary:

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.

A Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection, Rump is perfect for fans of Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted or Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark and Grimm.

My Review:

A fun middle grade story. At the beginning there were some phrases I thought didn’t flow, but either I got used to the author’s writing style or there were just two unfortunate editorial mishaps at the beginning.

The story kept me wondering how it would unfold and how Rump could untangle himself from the mess. Even though I know the classic story.

Very imaginative, enjoyable story. There are some jokes about Rump’s name that middle schoolers would find funny, but the author never let it go too far. This is one I’ll be buying for my school’s library and might consider as a read aloud for 3rd or 4th grade. 3.75 stars

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($14.04 hb / $5.06 pb / $4.81 eb); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($6.99 pb / $6.99 eb); Buy it from an Independent Bookstore near you 

(Prices good as of June 26, 2014 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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