Rump by Liesl Shurtliff

I know that I am really behind with this one, but I just finished Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.  I heard about it on Twitter, on podcasts, and at conferences and bought it sometime back, but it wasn’t until a student was asking for recommendations for her new fourth grade classroom that I finally moved it up the stack on my nightstand.   

Rump is the charming story of the childhood of Rumpelstiltskin.  Readers get to see him as the innocent boy who struggles with the loss of his mother, poverty, and an unfortunate name in a world where names mean everything. The Rump readers get to know is not the traditional creepy, little man who appears out of nowhere, demanding favors for spinning gold.  The Rump in Shurtliff’s story is a boy who is searching for meaning in his life and a way to control his new-found magical powers.  Rump is caring and funny, and I loved his relationship with Red, who is definitely not the flighty, brainless girl who readers see in many traditional tales.  I also loved the way that Shurtliff presented new sides to other fairy tale characters as well, like the trolls for instance.  Who would have thought readers could love stinky, nasty trolls?

I completely believe that young readers will love this easy-to-read chapter book.  It would also make a great read aloud.  I think that teachers and students would have a fun time comparing Rump to other versions of the fairy tale, like Paul O. Zelinsky’s picture book version perhaps.  There are also so many opportunities for readers to use Shurtliff’s book to talk about the paths and decisions that could ultimately lead Rump to the more sinister Grimm’s version.  I just could not help thinking about all of the ways that I would love to share this book with students.

I hope teachers and students pick this sweet book up and share it with each other.  Then, as I am about to do, I hope they go out and read the next books by Shurtliff: Jack and Red.  

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff, 258 pages from Alfred A. Knopf books (2013). ISBN # 978-0-307-97793-9

Ideal for young readers (and anyone who loves a fairy tale)