A+Tale+Dark+&+Grimm+(Horn)

Gidwitz, A. (2010). //A tale dark & Grimm//. New York, NY: Penguin.
Book Cover found on July 18, 2011 at http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/files/2010/07/GrimmGidwitz.jpg

=Summary:= //A Tale Dark & Grimm// takes several lesser-known Grimm's fairy tales and interweaves the story of Hansel and Gretel. Hansel and Gretel face everything from getting their heads cut off to almost being a witch's supper to fighting a dragon. Along the way the reader, as well as Hansel and Gretel, find the importance of family and the fact that no parent is perfect. Told in an engaging manner with humorous comments along the way, Adam Gidwitz breathes new life into Grimm's fairy tales and gets readers hooked from the very beginning.

=Online Links:= Author website: @http://www.adamgidwitz.com/

Book trailer: @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiRVnkYcJ2I

Information about Grimm's Fairy Tales: @http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/ http://www.grimmfairytales.com/en/main (ability to listen to some of the stories)

E-texts of Grimm's Fairy Tales: @http://www.familymanagement.com/literacy/grimms/grimms-toc.html

=Discussion Questions:=
 * 1) Which set of parents were actually the worst to Hansel and Gretel? Be sure to explain why you chose those parents.
 * 2) Choose to be either Hansel or Gretel. Which part of the story was the most difficult for you to deal with? Explain why.
 * 3) Think of 5 adjectives that describe either the King or the Queen. Explain why you chose those adjectives for the character.

=Classroom Activity:= Objective: Create and present a Readers Theatre script using the book.
 * 1) Put kids into groups of 4-5 (or have them form their own groups if that would work for your students).
 * 2) Divide the book into sections and give a section to each group.
 * 3) Have the students divide their section amongst themselves to create a script. (For a modification, you could give them the section already divided into parts and have them decide who will read which part.)
 * 4) Practice within groups reading their scripts as their characters.
 * 5) Present the Readers Theatre script to the class.