Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic fairy tale gets witty update for a new generation.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Mac Barnett's RUMPELSTILTSKIN covers the same ground as the classic fairy tale. Here, a miller boasts to a king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. So the king locks her in his castle and demands that she produce the spun gold, "Or else, off with your head." Then a magical little man pops up through a trap door and promises to magically turn the straw into gold to save her from execution, in exchange first for her necklace and second for her ring. Then a third time he makes this deal: "If you become queen, give your first child to me." After the queen has a son, the little man comes for his payment. When she cries, he offers her one more deal: He gives her three days to guess his name. "If you do, keep the child. If not, he's mine." She makes long lists of her guesses—all wrong—then stumbles across him saying his own name in the forest (this is a variation on what happens in the classic version) and beats him at his own game.
Is It Any Good?
This snappy retelling of the classic story of outwitting a magical being stays true to the familiar tale while adding subtle humor and and sly asides. For example, when the queen names her son Thomas after the king, the unseen narrator (author Mac Barnett) adds in parentheses, "A pretty nice thing to do, all things considered." Who knows how many kids are in fact familiar with the story? This lively version with beautiful art may be lots of today's kids' first hearing of it.
Rumpelstitskin moves along briskly, with the banter between the queen and the imp great for read-aloud as she makes her name lists, voices her guesses, and the two make their deals. Carson Ellis' medieval art keeps the tale grounded in fairy tale land as it varies between classical gouache portraits, whimsical long, curling name lists, comical confrontations between imp and queen, and striking black-and-white spot art. It has the look and feel of a classic with the cheeky attitude of the present day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the version of the classic fairy tale in Rumpelstiltskin. Had you heard another version before? How is this one different? What is it about fairy tales that makes them popular for hundreds of years?
What's your favorite picture in the story? Why?
How is the young woman able outsmart the magical little man? How does she persevere to beat him?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Carson Ellis
- Genre : Fairy Tale
- Topics : Fantasy ( Fairy Tales ) , Royalty ( Kings , Queens )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Orchard Books
- Publication date : February 3, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : February 3, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate