Typical?

Recently our youth group played a live version of clue.  The youth group advisers dressed up as the different characters and stationed ourselves in different rooms around the church. The kids had to then travel to each of us and try to figure out what we knew.  Since my maiden name is Plumadore it only made sense that I would play Professor Plum. I, of course, stationed myself in the library-typical.

As is typical with libraries, this one was stocked with books.  Since the youth weren't exactly master sleuths I took advantage of this time to browse the selection and pick a new book to read.  I settled on Gregory Maguire's Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister.

If that name is familiar it is because Maguire also wrote Wicked (as in the book that is now a wildly popular Broadway musical).  Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is in the same vein.  It is a satisfyingly detailed look at a familiar story from an unfamiliar perspective.  By the end it makes you question all the things you thought you knew about the original fairy tale-and how you judged the characters.

I'll tell you that Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is based on a famous fairy tale.  I"ll also tell you that the title is an honest representation of the contents of the book.  Now it's up to you to use your detective skills to see if you can guess the rest!  Of course, you could also just read the book...I will give away that it's worth the read.

Figuring it out...that's kids stuff

P.S, Though I very much enjoyed this book (as I've stated before I am totally on board the fractured fairy tale train), it was rather dense.  I would say this book is best suited for advanced middle school readers or high school and above.