"A Fresh Take on Fairy Tales" is designed to get young
people and adults thinking about the universal themes (sibling rivalry, consequences of jealousy and
greed, finding your own way through challenges, the hero's journey of self discovery...) found in fairy
tales and to encourage original creative interpretation and expression. Thus it is designed for children
starting in 4th grade through adults.
The CD has 14 songs and sells for $10.00. The CD is also available ($20.00) with an illustrated 40 page
spiral bound booklet with each fairy tale being 2 pages in length. The full package ($30.00) includes the
CD and illustrated booklet, and a teacher/parent addition with two spiral bound appendixes:
Songs:
Listen to samples
I Want to Believe in Fairy Tales
Oh Sweet Mama (Ugly Duckling)
Baby Bear's Lament (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)
Bully Goat Gruff (Three Billy Goats Gruff)
Take My Hand (Beauty and the Beast)
Little Red Riding Hood
What am I To Do? (Sleeping Beauty)
Cinderella's Fella
I Live Alone (Hansel and Gretel)
That’s Princess with a Capital P (The Princess and the Pea)
Oh My Fears (Snow White)
It’s Never Been Easy (Snow White)
Jack is a Bum (Jack and the Beanstalk)
Lament of Rumplestiltskin
Appendix (A) to encourage group discussion and provide questions
for creative writing. There is also a section titled: "Let's Make This Personal" which is to provide an
introspective opportunity to examine some tough social and personal issues such as:
Ugly duckling: growing up without a strong father figure, friends and group dynamics,
bullying, dealing with non-acceptance and the perilous journey to adulthood
Goldilocks: Man's impact upon the environment of animals, borrowing vs. stealing
Billy Goats Gruff: bullying, dealing with siblings
Beauty and the Beast: appearances are deceiving, honoring obligations, dealing with
physical differences, infatuation vs. love
Little Red riding Hood: Naturalist intelligence, examining the nature and value of fear,
obedience vs. initiative
Sleeping Beauty: seeking revenge, obedience vs. initiative, waiting for things to happen
(victim) vs. making things happen (hero or villain), parents' perceptions, how is the world changing?
Cinderella: coping skills, waiting for things to happen (victim) vs. making things happen,
examining the concept of "making a good impression", growing up without a strong father figure, obedience vs.
initiative
Hansel & Gretel: growing up without a strong father figure, expectations of parents and
responsibilities of children, hunger and health, current challenges for youth
Princess and the Pea: marriage and love, the consequences of the "Princess Fad", what
influences our dreams and ambitions?
Snow White: personal vs. social values, personal achievement, dealing with life's circumstances
and personal expectations, resistance vs. acceptance
Jack and the Beanstalk: means justifying the ends, ambition and achieving your goals, stealing
Rumplestiltskin: growing up without a strong father figure, promises and obligations, exaggeration
vs. lying
Appendix B: to encourage science skills
Little Red Riding Hood: Opportunities to Encourage the Naturalist Intelligence
Common Plants and Animals in your backyard
Hansel & Gretel: Helping Hansel Improve His Birding Skills (for parents/teachers)
Helping Hansel Improve His Birding Skills (for students)
Common Michigan Birds Seen in Urban Areas
The Ugly Duckling: For the Birds: Naturalist's Observations on Waterfowl
Snow White: Mirror, Mirror on My Desk
Seedy Strategies – examining apples
Jack and the Beanstalk: Naturalist's observations
5 Bean Growth Data
Beauty and the Beast: Growing a Beautiful Flower (African Violet)
Rumplestiltskin: All That Glitters is not Gold (Penny Experiment)
Sleeping Beauty, Snow White: In a Heart Beat
Three Billy Goats Gruff: Bridge Building?
Cinderella: Cinderella's Shoe Size
The Princess and the Pea: Just How Royal Are You or How Touchy Are You?
Goldilocks and The Three Bears: Experimenting with Porridge
