The Grimm Conclusion

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.)