Reimagined fairytales

This stylish retelling of a classic fairytale may begin with a familiar scene - but it's quickly apparent that the yellow-haired heroine of this story is no damsel in distress. And there's certainly no Prince Charming waiting in the wings to save the day! This Rapunzel is sharp, empowered and determined. She finds her own path to freedom with the help of friends - and her hair - before overthrowing the evil witch and embarking on her own quest for riches. Woolvin's limited palette is stunning, using only a pop of yellow against a monochrome backdrop to highlight Rapunzel's powerful locks.

There are a number of reimagined versions of Little Red Riding Hood out there, but this one strikes a chord because it's a little bit nonsensical and young children sometimes need that! Traditional fairytales, by their very nature, can be very dark, macabre even. In this retelling, Alex T Smith manages to inject humour - and lots of colour - into the story which has the brilliant effect of making it far less scary for little ones. Our heroine is sassy and quick-thinking, and the hungry lion ends up getting much more than he bargained for at the end of the story. A lovely, light-hearted tale to share with young children.

One boy's anxiety over his missing father are played out against a backdrop of familiar fairytale characters in this hugely suspenseful picture book. Aimed at slightly older children with an established knowledge of the fairytale genre, readers are never quite sure where this slightly unsettling story is heading until the very end. Children will love spotting the likes of Hansel and Gretel in the forest - as well as other strange creatures lurking amongst the trees. It really is a visual feast and a fantastic springboard for discussions with children about emotions and anxieties.

This exceptionally clever story is less of a retelling of the original Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, and more of a starting point for discussion about the dangers and distractions of city life. As per the original story, a red-caped girl sets out to deliver cake to her grandma. But despite her mother's instructions to go straight there, our protagonist soon finds herself veering off track. With an omnipresent wolf lurking in every spread, this cautionary tale is both thought-provoking and engaging. (Don't worry, though, it all comes good in the end!)

The lass discovers everything she knows through reading about it in books, whereas the quine spends all her time outside adventuring in the wilderness! Despite being different in every way, they find common ground when the quine helps the lass with her fear of scary beasties (including the most fearsome creature of them all: bears!). This lovely rhyming story is the first LGBTQ+ picture book in Scots and is a joy to read aloud.

In the land of the giants, there is none so fearsome as… Tiny McToot! He’s as tall as a spoon, lives in a shoe and is best friends with a hog in a wig. However, when a terrifying troll comes looking for lunch, the giants – and Percival Pig – are all in danger, and it’s up to Tiny McToot to come to the rescue! This joyful picture book is full of wonderful details and a delight to share.

Nen the merman spends his days exploring the ocean. However, something is missing – Nen is lonely. When he travels to the land, he meets someone just like him: a lonely fisherman. This gentle picture book is a celebration of love with dreamlike illustrations perfect for escaping into.

Ned the knight is very well behaved – he’ll run any errand and go to bed on time. But one day, Ned decides he no longer wants to say 'yes', he wants to say 'no!'. What he doesn’t realise yet is that one little word will bring a big, terrifying dragon crash landing into his life!

Translated into Shetlandic dialect, this picture book is jam-packed with larger-than-life characters. Meet a troll, Hank Chief and his pirate crew and follow them on their search for treasure (and goats!). David Roberts wonderfully expressive artwork brings this riotous story to life.