All at Once Upon a Time

This fairy tale mash-up from Rockliff and Jose lobs scraps of fairy tales at readers as fast as they can recognize them--and foils expectations, too. Crisp, cartoon-style illustrations open on a princess trapped in a tower with long... hair? No, a long nose that grows every time she fibs. When a prince arrives to save her, he begins to climb a beanstalk, arriving not at the top of the princess's tower but at a giant's house. There, a huge table is set with three bowls: "He tasted the porridge in the first bowl, but it was too hot. The second bowl of porridge was too cold." And the third? It's "just tapioca pudding." As the story continues, Little Red Riding Hood carries a basket full of frogs, and the wolf pricks its paw on a spinning wheel. It's a fast-moving romp that's also a challenge, inviting readers to identify the fractured fairy tales' fragments. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Be prepared for this amusing storytime selection to be requested over and over.

For readers with enough background knowledge to catch the jokes, this fast-paced adventure offers an opportunity to keep the story going even after the book has closed. 

"Bright cartoon art makes exaggerated use of perspective and expressively rendered characters to heighten the dramatic plot twists and the humor...this fast-paced adventure offers an opportunity to keep the story going even after the book has closed."— "Horn Book Magazine"

"Be prepared for this amusing storytime selection to be requested over and over."— "Booklist"

"a fast-moving romp"— "Publishers Weekly"

"This is an entertaining read-aloud choice; giggles will immediately ensue, though there are lessons to be learned as well...Rockliff and Jose emphasize the importance of treating others with compassion—perhaps a better lesson than those offered by the original tales."— "Kirkus Reviews"