Once Upon a Gorjuss Time

Reviewed by: Kara Reiman - Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 12, 2017

Review

"Once Upon a gorjuss Time" is a collection of classic fairy tales and stories loosely rewritten to include the main character (the "gorjuss" girl). The "gorjuss" girl is a Scottish artist's creation that has become very popular (similar to “Hello Kitty”), especially in Europe. The stories include Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Alice, Thumbelina, and Rapunzel. The collection felt thrown together and a bit like the “gorjuss” girl was just shoehorned in. I did enjoy that some of the fairy tales were a bit darker and closer to some of the originals (the Little Mermaid dies and turns into sea foam at the end of the story), but it just felt a bit like a cash grab. The artwork is very interesting and I'm sure some kids will love the book, but it is definitely not a must-buy. ~Reviewed by Kate Radke

Overall Book Score: fair