Whether your favorite fairy tale is 6,000 years old or only 600, the fact remains that these preternatural tales span centuries as well as cultures. Fascinatingly, the vast majority of fairy tales were passed down through the oral tradition until relatively recently. There has been much speculation as to the purpose of fairy tales. In an essay on the roots of fairy tales such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, Sarah Roller writes, “Originating in European folk stories, often designed to be parables with a moral twist, they featured painful punishments, sadistic parents, and children being devoured by wild beasts.” Of course, that’s just one facet (the Brothers Grimm) of one tradition (European) of fairy tales. But the fact remains that fairy tales are often super dark and therefore astoundingly inappropriate for their typically-pint-sized audiences (which is, quite frankly, probably part of their allure). And then there’s the fact that the fairy tale is an ever-evolving beast. Sure, folks like the Brothers Grimm did some work to fix some fairy tales in place through print technologies, but humans have been inventing stories of magical beings and monstrous creatures since time immemorial. Luckily for us, the most wondrous of fairy tales are still being spun by talented storytellers. I’ve curated a list of some recent gems of YA fairy tales. Some of them are retellings of popular fairy tales from the way-back-when, while others offer enchanting otherworldly delights that are sure to join the ranks of their more established brethren in no time. Forget “once upon a time” — snatch your favorite entrancing tale off the shelves (taking care not to prick your finger on a rogue splinter in your haste) and hunker down for a long, dark night full of stardust and mischief.
