How Does a Fairy Tale Work?

By Olivier Dupin

Once upon a time, a darkly funny picture book demonstrated classic fairy tale story elements using four classic tales ...

Do you know what a fairy tale is? How about how to write one? This darkly funny picture book invites readers to engage with four classic fairy tales as it breaks down the literary elements that go into building a story.

Each spread demonstrates a different story element, such as setting, character, and story structure, using the following fairy tales as examples: Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Little Thumb, and The Ugly Duckling. As the stories unfold, readers will learn more about each story element and develop the skills to recognize literary devices in these tales and others.

Playful, blocky art and comic-style panels and speech bubbles complement the snappy text, resulting in a delightful book that will live on shelves happily ever after.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1771477180
• ISBN13: 9781771477185
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Owlkids
• Length: 32 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 2.0" x 9.8"