On Friday, I finished reading At Midnight: 15 Beloved Fairy Tales Reimagined edited by Dahlia Adler. The fifteen short stories by popular young adult authors in this collection are based on fairy tales by E. T. A. Hoffman, the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault. Some of them are fantastical in nature, like "In the Forests of the Night" by Gita Trelease and "The Littlest Mermaid" by Meredith Russo but others are realistic, such as "Mother's Mirror" by H. E. Edgmon and "HEA" by Alex London. Along with the fifteen short stories, this collection includes the original tales in the back of the book.
I was really looking forward to reading this collection because I've enjoyed fairy tales since I was a little girl, and it was a delight from beginning to end. I loved each author's individual take on a fairy tale and how much diversity there was in this collection. Some of my favorites were "Say My Name" by Dahlia Adler ("Rumpelstiltskin"), "Fire and Rhinestone" by Stacey Lee ("The Little Match Girl"), "Coyote in High-Top Sneakers" by Darcie Little Badger ("The Master Cast, or Puss in Boots"), "The Sister Switch" by Melissa Albert (the one completely original tale in the collection), "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Hafsah Faizal ("Little Red-Cap"), and "Just a Little Bite" by Roselle Lim, but I recommend reading all of them. This collection is a fabulous choice for anyone who likes fairy tales.
Yesterday, I finished reading Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman. This historical fiction novel taking place during the summer of 1987 in Venice, California, is about a ten-year-old girl, Bug Contreras, who feels like her summer is ruined when her mom informs her that her brother, Danny, wants some space and she won't be able to go with him every day to the beach. Instead, she has the option to hang out with their upstairs neighbor Phillip's nephew, Frankie. Although Bug doesn't like Frankie at first, they bond while investigating a local serial killer, the Midnight Marauder. As the summer goes by, they learn the importance of being your true self and how to make the world a more just place.
I was excited to read this novel because I knew it mixed elements of historical fiction and mystery, but I was surprised by how well it incorporated social justice issues, including racism and homophobia. While Bug could be a little annoying at first because of her childish reactions to not being able to hang out with her brother over the summer, she grows a great deal as she learns important lessons over summer when she witnesses and experiences injustices. I especially loved the friendship that forms between her and Frankie. It was beautiful how accepting and supportive they were of each other and the ending was bittersweet when Frankie had to go home to Ohio. Frankie & Bug is a wonderful book demonstrating the importance of being an ally and standing up to injustice and anyone should read it.
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