Fractured, remixed, and retold.
Familiar and new.
Contemporary.
These books tell lots of different stories – some familiar, some new. Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood. Whether it’s a picture book or a YA fantasy, what they all have in common is that “once upon a time” feel.
For more stories that feature family, food, community, and tradition, be sure to check out our booklist of fairy tales and legends at Bookshop.org.
A book included in this list doesn’t imply anything about its eligibility for a CYBILS Award, nor is it an endorsement.
This post contains buy links which earn the CYBILS Awards advertising fees through Bookshop.org and Amazon Associates.
Book covers link to Goodreads. Blurbs extracted from Goodreads.
The Bakery Dragon
Ember has always been different from the other dragons. His fearsome roar sounds more like a polite sneeze, and when he breathes fire, the villagers just pat his head and say awwww.
Ember fears he’ll never collect a respectable hoard of gold until a chance encounter with a baker causes his fortunes to turn. As the little dragon soon discovers, the gold you make is way better than the gold you steal—and gold that is shared?
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024
Ember fears he’ll never collect a respectable hoard of gold until a chance encounter with a baker causes his fortunes to turn. As the little dragon soon discovers, the gold you make is way better than the gold you steal—and gold that is shared?
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024
Beastly Beauty
What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything , too badly? That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. When an attempt to suppress her emotions tragically backfires, a mysterious figure punishes Arabella with a curse, dooming her and everyone she cares about, trapping them in the castle.
YA Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024
YA Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024
Casters and Crowns
When Crown Princess Aria sees her kingdom on the brink of war with the magic-wielding Casters, she takes it upon herself to speak with the Widow Morton, the most dangerous Caster in the realm. Instead of bringing peace, Aria is dealt a terrible curse. Aria’s best hope for breaking her curse is to seek help from another Caster—the handsome and charming Baron Reeves. He may be entitled to a place at the court, but as a magic user, can he truly be trusted?
YA Speculative Fiction submission, 2024
YA Speculative Fiction submission, 2024
The Egg Incident
Humphrey lives a very quiet and cautious life, until the day he bumps into Princess Jean (PJ) in the park. An adventurer through and through, PJ can’t understand why Humphrey doesn’t allow himself to have any fun. She tells him tales of all her antics and mishaps and they don’t notice the park is closing. Oh no! How will Humphrey get home? There’s only one way out. Over. The. Wall!
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel submission, 2024
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel submission, 2024
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Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf
Gina Kaminski is here to tell you three facts. 1 – Little Red Riding Hood is full of BIG mistakes. 2 – She is off to fairy tale land to fix them. 3 – She WILL save the wolf. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Certainly not Gina as she takes the narrative lead and tells the story in her own distinctive way.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024
Into the Goblin Market
When the Goblin Market comes to town, Millie knows visiting it is a bad idea. They've been told stories their whole lives about the dangers of the Goblin Market. But Mina just can't resist. When Mina doesn't come back, it's Millie's turn to brave the market to bring her home. She will use all her smarts and courage to try to outwit the goblins and save her sister... but will it be enough?
Fiction Picture Book nominee, 2024
Fiction Picture Book nominee, 2024
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Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic: A Graphi…
For all of her twelve years, Jupiter Nettle has wanted to attend one of the Seven Schools of Magic. When she finally gets the call to take the entrance exam, she shocks everyone with her magic skills . . . but not in the way she'd hoped. Failing spectacularly in one test after another, Jupiter goes home dejected and confused. What will she do now?
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel nominee, 2024
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel nominee, 2024
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Kingdom of Dust
Though the land of Kun used to be lush and green, Amara has only ever known her homeland as a dry, dusty desert. When the griots vanished more than a decade ago, they took their magic with them, along with goddess Oala’s gifts of rain and plenty, leaving Kun controlled by a powerful and uncaring king. And though her foster mother, Zirachi, assures her that Kun is not under a curse, Amara can’t help but wonder if her own origin, which is shrouded in mystery, is somehow linked to the broken kingdom.
EMG Speculative Fiction submission, 2024
EMG Speculative Fiction submission, 2024
The Hedgewitch of Foxhall
Ffion is the last hedgewitch in Foxhall. To work her magic, she takes only what nature can spare. Prince Taliesin would love nothing more than to watch magic die. If Tal can destroying King Offa’s dyke the magic will remain ... but he will ascend the throne as king. But he's going to need help and he's forced to team up with a spitfire hedgewitch who hates him almost as much as he hates her magic.
YA Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024
YA Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024
Once a Queen (Carrick Hall, #1)
Eva Joyce (14) unexpectedly finds herself spending the summer at the mysterious manor house of the English grandmother she's never met,. When strangt things start happening in the gardens at night, Eva turns to the elderly housekeeper, gardener, and the gardener's great-grandson, Frankie, for answers. Residents of the manor believe fairy tales are true and that portals to other worlds still exist. They suspect that Eva's grandmother was once a queen in one of those worlds. ut Eva's grandmother denies it all. But ...
YA Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024
YA Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024
Plain Jane and the Mermaid
Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter, who might just say yes to get away from his father. It’s a good plan! Or it would’ve been, if he wasn’t kidnapped by a mermaid.
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel nominee
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel nominee
Who’s Writing This Story?!
Follow the three little pigs as they argue with the writer over what kind of story to tell. Will the hero become the villain? Find out in this fun introduction to the essential components all great stories need.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024
See also