Featured Author
Donna Jo Napoli
*Retold Fairy Tale & Myth Books
*Donna Jo's Books Below:
Beast, by Donna Jo Napoli---2000
Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-83589-2) (pb 2002)---Napoli tells the
story through the eyes of the Beast, Prince Orasmyn, of Persia who is
transformed into a lion. He tries to maintain his Islamic morals as a
human in France where he meets Beauty.
Bound, by Donna Jo
Napoli---2004 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-86175-3)---Napoli
retells the story of an ancient Chinese Cinderella based in the Ming
dynasty. This is a powerful tale of a 14 year old girl Xing Xing who is
bound by duty to her stepmother and stepsister after her own mother and
father die. Xing Xing spends her days caring for her sister . Wei Ping
who has her feet bound, and can hardly walk. Her life changes as a
village festival approaches.
Breath, by Donna jo
Napoli---2003 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-86174-5) ---Breath is a
re-telling of the legendary Pied Piper of Hameln town. Throughout the
book, rats infest houses, churches and barns.When the whole town starts
getting sick, starting with the cattle and the pigs, the people first
turn blame upon the rats, those filthy animals known for spreading
sicknesses. Salz is accused of witchcraft. Is it true? Near the end of
the tale, Salz remembers a piper whom he met who could charm animals
and who could possibly drive the rats away from Hameln. But are the
rats really the problem?
Crazy
Jack , by Donna Jo Napoli---1999 Delacorte (ISBN 0-385-32627-0)
(pb 2001)---Crazy Jack is a re-telling of Jack and the Bean Stalk. in
the 16th century of England. The whole town thinks Jack is crazy with
the loss of his father and his true love Flora and selling the cow for
beans. He does meet the giant and his seductive wife. He brings back
three gifts: a hen that lays regular eggs, although as many as one asks
for; the pot of gold becomes a pot of stones that keeps replenishing
itself; and the lyre must be played to be enjoyed. Jack is the
struggling protagonist trying to make sense of his life and what is
really important.
The
Great God Pan, by Donna Jo Napoli---2003 Delacorte (ISBN
0-385-32777-3) (pb 2005)---Napoli is re-telling the two Greek
mythological tales of Pan and Iphigenia. She includes some background,
but fills in and blends the two stories. Pan is half /god-half/goat.
This is a tale of romance, myth, and legend.
Sirena,
by Donna Jo Napoli---1998 Scholastic (ISBN 0-590-38388-4) (pb 2000)---
Sirena is a re-telling of the Greek myth of the sirens. At 17 she and
her sisters are doomed to live a short mortal life as mermaids unless
they can make a human man love them. Their songs causes men to perish
on the rocks. Sirena vows to deny this fate and live away from humans,
but a man comes to her island. Does she love him and does he love her?
Song of the Magdeline,
by Donna Jo
Napoli--- (originally 1996
Scholastic (ISBN 0-590-93705-7) with pb 1998)
reissued and available in pb 2004 Simon & Schuster (ISBN
0-689-87396-4)---Napoli is re-telling the Biblical story of Mary
Madeline. She invents a complex early childhood of Mary and blends the
end to fit the mention of her in the Bible. She depicts the cultures of
the ancient Hebrew life for women.
Spinners, by Donna Jo Napoli
and coauthored by Richard Tchen---1999 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-46065-9) (pb
2001) Spinners is a re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin from his point of
view. Love, pride, greed, magic, and revenge are the ideas behind the
subplots. Rumpelstiltskin is the true father of Saskia who is forced to
try to spin straw into gold for the king. He never reveals this fact to
Saskia. He just wants someone to love him. He wants a grandchild.
The Magic Circle, by Donna Jo
Napoli---1993 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-45127-7) (pb 1995 Puffin) ---The Magic
Circle is a re-telling of Hansel and Gretel from the view point of the
witch. A hunchback midwife known as the 'Ugly One" becomes a healer
casting out devils. She must stay inside the magic circle she draws
with a blessed item. She commands the devils for nine years, but they
trick her into becoming a witch. She tries to fight the urge to eat a
child, which will complete the damnation of her soul. She moves away
from all humans into the middle of an enchanted forest . Hansel and
Gretel come to the candy cottage and tempt her.
Zel,
by Donna Jo Napoli---1996 Dutton (ISBN
0-525-45612-0) (pb 1998 Puffin) ---Zel is a re-telling of Rapunzel.
This is a dark and graphic tale told in first person by the mother
(witch) and in third person by Rapunzel and Count Konrad. She tells
each person's thoughts on the different scenes. She turns into a witch
to have a child. She raises Zel in Switzerland in the 16 th century
keeping her away from most humans. After she meets Count Konrad, the
witch, her adoptive mother, puts her in a tower and keeps her there for
years. Napoli describes what how the solitude drives Zel mad. The Count
does not find her for a couple of years. Does mother's evil possessive
ways win?