FICTION AND POETRY
Katie Crackernuts, by Katherine Briggs
A charming short novel retelling the Katie Crackernuts tale, by one of the world’s foremost folklore authorities.
Beginning with O, by Olga Broumas
Broumas’ poetry makes use of many fairy tale motifs in this collection.
The Sun, the Moon and the Stars, by Steven Brust
A contemporary novel mixing ruminations on art and creation with a lively Hungarian fairy tale.
Possession, by A.S. Byatt
A Booker Prize-winning novel that makes wonderful use of the Fairy Melusine legend.
Sleeping in Flame, by Jonathan Carroll
Excellent, quirky dark fantasy using the Rumpelstiltskin tale.
The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter
A stunning collection of dark, sensual fairy tale retellings.
The Sleeping Beauty, by Hayden Carruth
A poetry sequence using the Sleeping Beauty legend.
Beyond the Looking Glass, edited by Jonathan Cott
A collection of Victorian fairy tales and prose poetry.
The Nightingale, by Karen Dalkey
An evocative Oriental historical novel based on the Hans Christian Andersen story.
Provençal Tales, by Michael de Larrabeiti
Rich, subtle, adult fairy tales based on French legends.
Jack the Giant-Killer and Drink Down the Moon, by Charles de Lint
Wonderful urban fantasy novels bringing “Jack” and magic to the streets of modern Canada.
Tam Lin, by Pamela Dean
A lyrical novel setting the old Scottish fairy story (and folk ballad) Tam Lin among theater majors on a Midwestern college campus.
The King’s Indian, by John Gardner
A collection of peculiar and entertaining stories using fairy tale motifs.
Blood Pressure, by Sandra M. Gilbert
A number of poems in this powerful collection make use of fairy tale motifs.
The Seventh Swan, by Nicholas Stuart Gray
An engaging Scottish novel that starts off where the Seven Swans fairy tale ends.
Fire and Hemlock, by Diana Wynne Jones
A beautifully written, haunting novel that brings the Thomas the Rhymer and Tam Lin tales into modern-day England.
Thomas the Rhymer, by Ellen Kushner
A sensuous and musical rendition of this old Scottish story and folk ballad.
Red as Blood, Or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer, by Tanith Lee
A striking and versatile collection of adult fairy tale retellings.
Beauty, by Robin McKinley
Masterfully written, gentle and magical, this novel retells the story of Beauty and the Beast.
The Door in the Hedge, by Robin McKinley
The Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Frog Prince retold in McKinley’s gorgeous, clear prose, along with two original tales.
Disenchantments, edited by Wolfgang Mieder
An excellent compilation of adult fairy tale poetry.
Kindergarten, by Peter Rushford
A contemporary British story beautifully wrapped around the Hansel and Gretel tale, highly recommended.
Transformations, by Anne Sexton
Sexton’s brilliant collection of modern fairy tale poetry.
Trail of Stones, by Gwenn Strauss
Evocative fairy tale poems, beautifully illustrated by Anthony Browne.
Swan’s Wing, by Ursula Synge
A lovely, magical fantasy novel using the Seven Swans fairy tale.
Beauty, by Sheri S. Tepper
Dark fantasy incorporating several fairy tales from an original and iconoclastic writer.
The Coachman Rat, by David Henry Wilson
Excellent dark fantasy retelling of the story of Cinderella from the coachman’s point of view.
Snow White and Rose Red, by Patricia C. Wrede
A charming Elizabethan historical novel retelling this romantic Grimm’s fairy tale.
Briar Rose, by Jane Yolen
An unforgettable short novel setting the Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty story against the background of World War II.
Don’t Bet on the Prince, edited by Jack Zipes
A collection of contemporary feminist fairy tales compiled by a leading fairy tale scholar, containing prose and poetry by Angela Carter, Joanna Russ, Jane Yolen, Tanith Lee, Margaret Atwood, Olga Broumas, and others.
MODERN-DAY FAIRY TALE CREATORS
The Faber Book of Modern Fairy Tales, edited by Sara and Stephen Corrin
Gudgekin the Thistle Girl and Other Tales, by John Gardner
Mainly by Moonlight, by Nicholas Stuart Gray
Collected Stories, by Richard Kennedy
Heart of Wood, by William Kotzwinkle
Fairy Tales, by Alison Uttley
Tales of Wonder, by Jane Yolen
NON-FICTION
The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell
The Erotic World of Faery, by Maureen Duffy
“Womenfolk and Fairy Tales,” by Susan Cooper
Essay in the New York Times Book Review, April 13, 1975.
Beauty and the Beast: Visions and Revision of an Old Tale, by Betsy Hearne
Once Upon a Time, collected essays by Alison Lurie
What the Bee Knows, collected essays by P.L. Travers
Problems of the Feminine in Fairy Tales, by Marie-Louise von Franz
Collected lectures originally presented at the C.G. Jung Institute.
Touch Magic, collected essays by Jane Yolen
Fantasists on Fantasy, edited by Robert H. Boyer and Kenneth J. Zahorski
Includes Tolkien’s “On Fairy Stories,” G.K. Chesterton’s “Fairy Tales,” and other essays.
FAIRY TALE SOURCE COLLECTIONS
Old Wives’ Fairy Tale Book, edited by Angela Carter
The Tales of Charles Perrault, translated by Angela Carter
Italian Folktales, translated by Italo Calvino
The Complete Hans Christian Andersen, edited by Lily Owens
The Maids of the North: Feminist Folk Tales from Around the World, edited by Ethel Johnston Phelps
Favorite Folk Tales from Around the World, edited by Jane Yolen
The Complete Brothers Grimm, edited by Jack Zipes
For volumes of fairy tales from individual countries—Russian fairy tales, French, African, Japanese, etc.—see the excellent Pantheon Books Fairy Tale and Folklore Library.