The Grimm Conclusion (A Tale Dark & Grimm #3)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and Gidwitz deploys his successful formula of bloody happenings and narratorial intrusion in his third and final installment of unexpurgated fairy tales. The protagonists are Jorinda and Joringel, who go through hair-raising and stomach-churning travails similar to those of their predecessors, Hansel and Gretel (in A Tale Dark & Grimm) and Jack and Jill (from In a Glass Grimmly); there are even a few cameo appearances by characters from the earlier books. Among the sources this time are "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty," lesser-known tales such as "The Juniper Tree" and "The Boy Who Left Home to Find Fear," and a few non-Grimm tales. Reflecting his love of theory, Gidwitz takes an excursion into metafiction near the end that highlights the power of story, one of two key themes, along with the folly of repressing one's feelings. Underneath the gore, the wit, and the trips to Hell and back, this book makes it clearer than ever that Gidwitz truly cares about the kids he writes for. Ages 10-up. Agent: Sarah Burnes, the Gernert Company. (Oct.)

Gr 4-8--The conclusion to the trilogy that began with A Tale Dark and Grimm (2010) and continued with In a Glass Grimmly (2012, both Dutton) is equally gorey and awesomely dark. Jumping outside normal book conventions, Gidwitz not only relies on the previously recounted horror, but he also embraces and integrates it into the plot. "The third raven blinked at the little boy. 'The metafictional dimensions of that statement are kind of blowing my mind.'" Fans of these gruesome tales will not blink an eye, and newcomers are more likely to return to the previous titles to catch up than to find the references off-putting. The assured voice of the storyteller continues to be distinctive and clearly indicated by the bold type. Jorinda and Joringel, main characters in these adventures, gradually take on this storyteller role, upending the expected, and provide a satisfying conclusion while extolling the power of story. As innovative as they are traditional, the stories maintain clear connections with traditional Grimm tales while creatively connecting to the narrative, and all the while keeping the proceedings undeniably grisly and lurid. Gidwitz includes a note regarding the sources of his stories, which are not just Grimm, but also include Peter Dickinson, Hans Christian Andersen, Eric Kimmel, and his own fertile imagination. Readers will rejoice.--Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO

"Unlike any children's book I've ever read . . . [it] holds up to multiple re-readings, like the classic I think it will turn out to be."—New York Times Book Review

"A marvelous reworking of old stories that manages to be fresh, frightening, funny, and humane."—Wall Street Journal