Grump was an interesting book. You get to learn a lot about the early life and trials of Borlen, a dwarf who is different from all the rest in many ways. This book adds new twists to this story, but that only made it more fun to read. I especially enjoyed the ending, it was satisfying and showed this whole journey changed him in many ways. I am not sure if this story will be for everyone, but I think most people will enjoy it.

Interest Level: 3-6

Did you think that fractured fairy tales were only for picture books? Well then think again! Liesl Shurtliff has spun an incredible story around a classic fairy tale. From the day Borlen (nicknamed Grump) was born he was never like the other dwarves. Because of unusual circumstances, he was born near the surface instead of deep within the earth. Borlen has never fit in the other dwarves and he actually gets sick when he has to go to work deep in the mines. His dream is to one day go to the surface and see what is above the dirt, but this is forbidden. Then one day Borlen got his chance to go to the surface and his life would never be the same again. He becomes "friends" with the evil queen and his life is wonderful until she tricks him and everything goes down from there. Will Grump do what is right and help save Snow White or is he bound by the queen to carry out her vengeance? This is a must read for anyone who is a Disney fan, a fairy tale fan, or just anyone who loves a great book!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review. It did not affect my opinion in any way.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall who’s the grumpiest of them all?
Liesl Shurtliff is back with another fairytale retelling. This time the story is Snow White, and the character we’re traveling with is Grumpy.
As always I’ll look at the book first as a librarian then as a reader.
Librarian: My students cannot wait for this book. They’re huge fans of Jack (which many of them read as part of the voting for the student book awards this past year) and that in turn lead them to read Rump and Red. When they heard about Grump they got very excite and demanded that we add it to next year’s book order. (They needn’t have worried, it already was.) Luckily for them, they won’t be disappointed. Grump is a pleasure to read, fast paced and very fun. The story also provides discussion points for deeper topics, like unfair parental expectations (and control) and social isolation and bullying. These are serious, sensitive topics and hopefully this book can create a few discussions.
Reader: As I mentioned, Grump is a fun fast paced book. Personally, I actually enjoyed it more than I did either Jack or Rump (I haven’t read Red). I also found it to be slightly more serious than her previous books. Don’t get me wrong, there are serious issues at play in the others but they don’t reach the same depths as this one does. Borlen (Grump)’s parents’ attempts to control and dictate his life are real and heartbreaking. Who hasn’t dealt with being a disappointment to their parents? And how many parents have tried to force their children into being something they’re not? It’s an important lesson, both for kids and parents, and one that readers of all ages would do well to pay attention to.

I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. This middle grade fantasy novel is the latest in a series of books giving the back story of some of our favorite fairy tales: Rump – The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, Jack – The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk, and Red – The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood. And once again, I loved it!
Shurtliff expertly freshens and livens up the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by giving us the back story of how Borlen (Grump) comes into the world of Snow White and gets involved in the conflict between the evil queen and the sweet princess. While this book is part of an awesome series, it stands by itself and is enjoyable even if you haven't read the other titles. The fifth-grade students I taught loved these books and they didn’t sit on the shelf for very long!
I know that this will be a very popular book among middle grade readers. The story is engaging and suspenseful, even to those who think they know what will happen because of the classic fairy tale. There is danger and violence, but they are appropriate to the story and not over-the-top. I also think there are some good take-away messages for young readers about friendship, loyalty, and true love. I also like the lesson about reflections: whatever you put out to the world is what will come back to you.

An innovative twist on the traditional fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The retelling is from the perspective of Grump (aka Grumpy) and is part of a wonderful middle grades series. You meet all the other characters from the story, but see each one in a different light. If you liked Red and Rump, you'll enjoy this book too. Recommended for fairy tale adaptation fans.

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Having already read and loved Rump and Red by the Liesl Shurtliff, I was really looking forward to Grump and was not at all disappointed! Shurtliff has found a particular niche in the fairytale world that bridges a gap between picture books and full-on fantasy genre. Grump is perfect for intermediate and advanced primary readers (and adults too). Just like Rump, Jack and Red, it's an ideal read aloud to hook students' into the series. The humor is delightful and the characters are engaging. You know Grump is grumpy but you still like him. I love that Snow White is not all Disney sweetness. Can't wait to read the next (Fairly) true tale!

Most dwarves want nothing to do with the Surface or with humans--they love their lives deep underground, where they work in teams to mine. Borlen, however, is born near the Surface, rather than deep down like most dwarves, and as a result, he can't stand depths and can't rid himself of the desire to see the Surface and all the wonders that are above ground.
Borlen's parents help him to join a mining crew, hoping that will help him to find his place among the dwarves.
He doesn't fit in, though, and soon earns the nickname "Grump." One day, Grump finally has the chance to go to the Surface and he takes it--and soon finds himself embroiled in a mess.

Being a bit grumpy myself, I loved the chance to read Grump's version of the Snow White story. This story was so much fun to read; now I'm going to have to go read the author's other books. Totally great choice for fans of middle grade fantasy, fairy tale retellings, and awesome books!

I read an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Grump is another fantastic addition to the fractured fairytale saga by Liesl Shurliff. Taken from the perspective of Grumpy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Grump is a tale of curiosity, adventure, and belonging. Sometimes, the true heart of a person is just beneath the surface.

Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by Liesl Shurtliff is a middle grade fantasy retelling of the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The story brings to light the saying of there’s three versions of every story, his, hers and the truth. This is Grump’s truth of what really happened.

Dwarves are generally born deep underground and feed upon the rare gems that they mine beneath the earth. However, when it was time for Borlen to enter the world his parents were close to the surface due to a collapse so along he came away from the normal depths for a dwarfling. This closeness to the surface became an obsession with the little guy as he grew with a crazy fear of the depths that the other dwarves enjoyed.

When Borlen got older his parents worried about his fitting in with those of his kind so they pushed for him to join a mining crew early. As Borlen took his place with six other dwarves on the crew he gained the nickname Grump due to his distaste of the job. His obsession with the surface only continued regardless though and one day Grump found his way to the top….

Grump was such a cute little version of the classic story from start to finish. You have the basic events that we all have known and loved all happen from a totally different prospective giving the story a whole new feel. Apparently the author has several other books done in this manor that I will definitely have to check out after enjoying this grumpy little gem of a story. A fun and fantastic twist to Snow White that I definitely recommend to all ages.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a fun middle grades fractured fairytale type of book.I love the storyline and the story of Snow White

Retelling of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" from the POV of a grumpy young dwarf. Lots of nods to the Disney dwarves. Readers learn a lot about dwarf culture, which will interest those who enjoy world-building and learning about mythical creature, but may make the start feel slow to other readers as we are not introduced to the familiar fairy-tale storyline until a quarter of the way through the book. Fans of Shurtliff's previous fairy tale retellings will likely enjoy this one as well.

Grump is a wonderful addition to Shurtliff's world of fairy tales and magic. I loved how three-dimensional the character of Grump was. His struggles and battles were real and relatable. His friendships with Snow White and the other dwarves were full of trials and setbacks but showed that true friendships are the most important thing in life and will rise above any problems.

I am loving this book! Such humor! My students have just recently voted for me to read it as our next read aloud (grade 3). I am excited to introduce them to this great series!

This story is a re-imagining of Snow White and Seven Dwarves, told from the view point of one of the dwarves. It's really great to think about this familiar story from a completely different view point and Shurtliff does a great job of fleshing out the characters and giving them such distinct personalities, rather than the flat characters we know from the more familiar fairy tales. This will be an excellent addition to any library.

I have read all of Shurtliff’s other fairy retellings and always enjoy the blend of humor and thoughtfulness Shurtliff brings to her fairy tale retellings. This was a very fun fairy tale retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I ended up enjoying this a lot.

The whole story is told from "Grumpy's" POV. It focuses around where he grew up, why he ended up on the surface, and how he ended up entangled with Snow White.

The story is at turns creative, touching, and funny. I loved the world the dwarfs live in and how their their way of living (what they ate, how they slept) was completely re-imagined. The book touches on themes of being different, staying true to yourself, and the importance of friends and families...while still having a lot of humor woven throughout.

Overall this is a quick and fun read that I ended up enjoying a lot. I think fans of humorous fairy tale retellings will enjoy all of Shurtliff’s books; they should appeal to both kids and adults that are fans of this genre.

Absolutely love it when someone takes a fantastic story and reimagines it in a way that is completely new then makes it even better. Therefore, when I seen this title was available I was absolutely excited! I had heard nothing but great things and wanted to see for myself the world building of this renowned author!
I think the best part of this book is that snow white isn’t the main attraction. Instead we get to learn about dwarves and their lives outside of taking care of the Princess. Shurtlif does an outstanding job of creating a new dwarf culture with vibrant characters that share their day-to-day practices.
Something else that I absolutely adore in books is Snark, witty banter, and cheeky humor. This book delivered and then some! Borlen (aka Grumpy) quickly became a favorite character not just in this book but of all the Snow White retellings that I have read. Just like us humans, all he wants is to rise above the expected and explore new possibilities and rounds. He’s curious about things he’s never seen like the world above the mine, but his job keeps him from exploring those boundaries. Until he finds a way to get to the surface and be in the human realm. Nothing was as he expected, and he soon finds himself in serious trouble.
I really like the messages that were portrayed in this book and believe that they will be a great tool for teaching elementary and middle grade students life lessons. Like it’s okay to not fit in and to color outside of the lines. To be who you want to be and seek adventure. Also to overcome struggles and not let abusive words or people keep you down.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves fairytales and retellings of stories we think we know. It is perfect for elementary age and middle-grade students as well. I feel like the kids will love finding out how grumpy got his name!
Thank you, for allowing me access to this title it was a fantastic read!

Liesl Shurtliff is the master at taking a well known fairy tale and giving you a completely different perspective. In this book, she takes the beloved Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and gives us an alternate story that could have been, since us humans often change the details of the stories and leave out the most important parts.

The dwarfs are an interesting crew that could use a little explaining. According to Germanic mythology, a dwarf lives in the mountains or the earth, so why are the dwarfs living in the forest when Snow White comes running? Shurtliff tells the tale from Borlen's perspective. Borlen is a dwarf that never quite fit in. He feels most alive closer to the surface rather than deep down beneath the ground. He doesn't seem to make friends very well and is often thought of as slow or unintelligent. Understandably this makes him a little grumpy. But his character is utterly believable. Snow White's step-mother is as awful as always, but it is fascinating to see the play on words with the meaning of "fairest." Most importantly, Borlen/Grump learns that what the mirror reflects back to us is what we put in it - good or evil. An excellent read for lovers of fairy tales!

Every bit as charming as Shurtliff's previous fairy tale retellings, Grump made my children and I laugh aloud as we read. Grump is a fully fleshed out character and the world building is wonderful. Both hilarious and heartfelt!

Another great book from Liesel Shurlliff. I enjoy her take on fairy tales and have two of her others in my class. This could be used to teach lessons on perspective in the classroom. It could also be used as a mentor text on voice.

I love this series. My students love this series. Keep them coming. The twists in the story make it so it is a whole new story with a little familiarity. We love it.