Tales from Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Fairy Tales Proudly Reclaimed

In this assemblage of 10 adapted folk and fairy tales collected from around the world, British author Wood presents “stories featuring positive portrayals of LGBTQ+ people: stories about love in its many forms, transformation, identity and gender, hope, survival, and living life as your true self,” as addressed in an introduction. Updated story elements reflect modern sensibilities, as well as myriad experiences surrounding cultural and gender identity: Benin tale “The Girl in the Market” sees a young king falling in love with a transgender woman; “Double-Flower Temple,” of Chinese origin, features a murdered gay couple returning as justice-seeking ghosts; Russian fairy tale “The Falcon in the Garden” stars a gender-fluid youth who confounds a narrow-minded king; and in Romanian story “A Princess and a Prince,” a transgender royal finds both love and affirmation through a mighty adventure. Back matter includes source materials, notes about the original tales that expand upon Wood’s story selection process, and context surrounding specific narrative changes. This accessible, joyful sampling is both entertaining and educational, and a provocative springboard from which readers will be compelled to seek out more queer literature. Ages 8–12. Agent: Claire Wilson, RCW Literary. (Apr.)