Rump

Book 84 of my 2015 Reading Challenge

read from November 29 - 30

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Summary (via the book jacket)

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, twelve-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold - as much gold as he wants! His best friend, Red, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she's right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship - and a cheeky sense of humor - he just might triumph in the end.

My Opinion

The author did a great job of making the reader feel for Rump and his position.  It's good for kids to think about another side to the story and have the opportunity to put themselves in someone else's shoes.  Nobody, not even in fairy tales, is 100% good or 100% evil.  It reminds me of the saying "everyone is the hero of their own story".

It kept my attention much more than I expected from a J Fic book and I wasn't sure how it would all wrap up.  

It's on the higher end of J Fic comprehension wise and it helps to know the fairy tales mentioned (particularly Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin). 

A Few Quotes from the Book

"If I found lots of gold, then maybe no one would laugh at me or make fun of my name. Gold would make me worth something."

"Whir, whir, whir. Gold, gold, and more gold. I had searched for it my entire life, and here it was, pouring out like water. I hated the sight of it."