Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

By: Liesl Shurtliff

Narrated by: Paul Fox

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rump, comes the true story behind another unlikely hero: a grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White's feud with the wicked queen.

Ever since he was a dwarfling, Borlen (nicknamed "Grump") has dreamed of visiting The Surface, so when opportunity knocks, he leaves his cavern home behind.
     At first, life aboveground is a dream come true. Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.) is the best friend Grump always wanted, feeding him all the rubies he can eat and allowing him to rule at her side in exchange for magic and information. But as time goes on, Grump starts to suspect that Queen E.V.I.L. may not be as nice as she seems. . . .
     When the queen commands him to carry out a horrible task against her stepdaughter Snow White, Grump is in over his head. He's bound by magic to help the queen, but also to protect Snow White. As if that wasn't stressful enough, the queen keeps bugging him for updates through her magic mirror! He'll have to dig deep to find a way out of this pickle, and that's enough to make any dwarf Grumpy indeed.

"Liesl Shurtliff writes the perfect middle-grade page-turners that fourth graders can gobble down on the plane, train, and automobile trips ahead this summer. . . . [she] excels at turning familiar worlds on their heads. --The New York Times Book Review

"Hilarious and heartfelt . . . Lovable Borlen's grumpy first-person narration explores themes of belonging, friendship, and doing the right thing. Sure to please fans of reimagined fairy tales." --Kirkus

"A hilarious reimagining of its origin story with a wonderfully detailed world and interesting twists on classic characters. Sure to be a hit with fantasy fans looking for comedy." --Booklist

"The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. . . .a sure hit for Shurtliff's fans." --School Library Journal

Critic reviews

"Shurtliff excels at turning familiar worlds on their heads. The underground dwarf culture is wonderfully realized, and Grump's fascination with the Surface well drawn…Her Snow White is fresh, a little snotty but highly capable, with far more grit than her Prince. Together, Grump and the Princess are a welcome reminder that heroes needn't be perfect to get the job done." —The New York Times

"Hilarious and heartfelt . . . Lovable Borlen's grumpy first-person narration explores themes of belonging, friendship, and doing the right thing. Sure to please fans of reimagined fairy tales." —Kirkus

"A hilarious reimagining of its origin story with a wonderfully detailed world and interesting twists on classic characters. Sure to be a hit with fantasy fans looking for comedy." —Booklist

"The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. . . . a sure hit for Shurtliff’s fans." —School Library Journal'

"GRUMP is full of hilarious moments, surprising twists, a little bit of action, and a character whom you can't help but like. Even if he is a Grump."—Mundie Kids

Paul Fox is an excellent narrator

Paul Fox was fantastic as the narrator for this story. The story was also fantastic. All-around good book. I would recommend it to other listeners for sure

Absolutely Magical!

What a twist on the Story of Snow White! It’s an epic listen! GRUMP is a must read / listen for all that enjoy fairytales - what we thought we knew - wow! GRUMP is a Magical EVENT!

This was a really creative retelling of Snow White

This was a fun listen, but there wasn't a character I felt connected to and invested in. Also, some parts were surprisingly graphic for a children's book. Overall, it was an entertaining story with excellent narration.

I love how it’s a fractured fairy tail with lots of twists I love this book soooooooooooooo much!!! Love soooooo much!!!!

I love how it’s a fractured fairytale with lots of twists and I’m actually writing a fractured fairytale too

Great story!

If you’re a fan of Gregory Maguire or Christina Henry, this is for you. I’ve already added the rest of these “fairly true tales” to my wish list.