Rump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Rumpelstiltskin

What makes this book special is how unique it is. The kids' game stinks right now. There are no toys and books; there are only "franchises." I can't buy Legos; I have to buy Star Wars Legos and X-Men Legos. And children's books are worse. They're not so much books as screenplays in utero, desperately seeking to become the next franchise. This would be okay, I guess, if they didn't all have the exact same Harry-Potter-plagiarized plot: Picked-on boy goes to school only to discover he's an Egyptian God! No! A Greek God! No! A Greek-Orthodox God! I fear we are two years away from a children's lit novel about a geeky boy who goes to Bethlehem High only to discover he can turn water into wine and walk on water. Then there are the celebrity children's lit books. Who are these parents reading the (ghost-written) words of Madonna and Terrell Owens to their children? Shame on the publishers who make me choose between the novelization of Cars 2 and If Roast Beef Could Fly by Jay Leno (real book, people).

So let's take a second and praise the author, Ms. Shurtliff, for just writing a great book. And how could it not be? This is a first-time author (without some sardonic blog) who landed a book deal with Knopf, the Rolls Royce of publishers. I read Rump today and it was a delight. Even though you may know the tale, Ms. Shurtliff surprises you on every page, and the book really takes off for the last 100 pages. This isn't a prequel or a sequel or a spin-off, but a far more meaningful and far less grim take on the Grimm tale. While set in a medieval/fantasy setting, Ms. Shurtliff doesn't spend a lot of time world-building and inventing terms a la Oz and Wonderland. If she introduces anything fantastical, she makes it her own (the trolls were my favorite; witches close second). Instead, the book that Rump reminded me of was Oliver Twist. Ms. Shurtliff loooovvveesss her protagonist. Everything flows through Rump. And like Oliver Twist, various villains and helpmates come and go, but the action flows through him, and it's great. Perhaps more importantly, it's meaningful. This is a book parents want their kids reading. Rump's magic isn't some ability he eventually turns on his bullies. It's a blessing and a curse. The book deals a lot with character and identity and self-worth, but the themes that I found the most salient were responsibility and sacrifice.

Now someone give this girl a movie deal.

I too wanted to like this book. The cover was well designed to say , "Choose me." I was interested in the concept regarding the true story about Rumpelstiltskin. This is one of my favorite fairy tales. I read several different versions to my first graders. While tutoring a fourth grader, I was able to (I thought I would enjoy) sneak in another version of R. Most of the book was dreary, depressing, and hopeless. Sad. Ugh. The text could have been edited and removed at least a third of the endless, monotonous, uninteresting detail. The book would have been more effective if edited down. I also thought it was contrived. Too bad . It was a waste of time. I had hoped to suggest a book my 4th grade student that he would anxiously read through. He didnt, and I can see why. The reviews were so good I thought it would be a good choice. After my experience with this book, I won't be reading Jack, another all time favorite.

The pitiful Rump is quite a departure from the mean little creature we thought we knew and fairies are just as suspect as mermaids.
Shurtliff spins (sorry) a little bit of the classic fairy tale with a little bit of Avi's Crispin to take us on Rumps path to discover who he really is and either accept or change his destiny.

Receiver of book is working his way through this one, appears to think it's okay. Based on that type of reaction, I'd say it's an average book. So I'm okay w purchase. I can't tell if a book is good or not, especially when it's a gift & I haven't read it.

Rumpelstiltskin has never been my favorite fairy tale, and yet two books during this year's Fairy Tale Fortnight have made me rethink the tale. The first was YA title Rumplestiltskin (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James, which I reviewed the other day. Now, with the middle-grade offering of RUMP: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, I once again find myself caring about the odd character from the original tale. Unlike in the version from Jenni James, where Rumplestiltskin is the cursed brother of a greedy king and in love with the girl himself, this Rumpelstiltskin an ordinary boy. If, of course, having the ability to turn straw into gold is ordinary. He's figuring out the truth behind the magic coursing through his veins and is sucked into happenings beyond his control.

Rump has grown up never knowing his full name. His mother died moments after childbirth, whispering his name in his ear and only uttering its unfortunate beginning, "Rump," aloud. He gets made fun of all the time, too. After all, who wants to be named after a rear end? Names hold power, too, and without his full name, Rump is only half a person, smaller and weaker than the other boys his age. One day, his ailing grandmother throws away his mother's old spinning wheel, which he rescues from the trash. Messing around with it one night against her wishes, he discovers that he can turn straw into gold. Gold is huge in the mountains, and everyone goes out daily to mine for what little the pixies haven't gotten to in order to survive. Being weaker, Rump rarely finds anything, and he and his Gran never have enough to eat. With this gold, he knows he can change their fortunes for the better. Until the Miller cheats him out of a good deal. Until his Gran passes away. Until the greedy King comes to the Mountains to find out the truth behind his new influx of gold.

The just-as-greedy Miller, of course, claims that he has a gifted daughter, and Opal is quickly whisked away to turn straw into gold for the king--with Rump's house. Rump is once again forced into unfair bargains, where he must accept whatever is offered, never able to barter due to the strength of the magic upon him. She offers her gold necklace the first night, her mother's precious ring the second, and on the third, she promises him her unborn child. Rump doesn't even want a baby, but he's forced to accept. After the third night he flees in search of Yonder, where his mother came from. If he can find out the truth behind his name and his family history, maybe he can change the course of his own destiny. If he never hears that the Queen has had a baby, he never needs to return and take it. But he does hear. Compelled to return, the traditional tale of Rumpelstiltskin plays out in a way familiar to readers, yet being seen through Rump's eyes, has a distinctly "new" feel to it.

I really enjoyed seeing Rumpelstiltskin from Rump's perspective. He wants none of what he's forced to endure, and knowing the way the original tale goes, it's intriguing to see everything familiar from the traditional tale knotted up in a new way. We've misunderstood the tale all these centuries, having seen it from the eyes of the Queen, not those of the magical spinner himself. The Miller and his family are greedy, vile characters, as is the King. They care for nothing but gold, gold, gold, and will hurt anyone in order to get more of what they want. Liesl Shurtliff does a great job shining light on these characters even as their greediness remains by-the-book, making readers really sympathize with poor Rump. And Rump! Kids will really relate to him as he journeys to discover himself over the course of the book. His story is bound together in a creative way with Little Red Riding Hood through his relationship with his one and only friend Red. Red is a great female character, and not in the book nearly enough. It would fun to see a book or novella featuring her in the future! I especially loved the way she could somehow form paths in the woods where there were none previously, and would love to see the magic involved beyond that.

With the mix of boy humor that comes from a boy called "Butt," the addition of a gal pal, and the resonating message of self-discovery, RUMP: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin is perfect for the middle-grade readers it's aimed for as well as fun for older readers.

So the boy's name is "Rump" and the others call him "Butt." Not so funny after the first fifty repetitions! There was nothing interesting about this book. Maybe the story was cute 200 years ago when people knew what spinning wheels were, but how many boys today are going to read about a boy who spins gold yarn? Or about "pixie" / "fairies" the size of his finger that spit, scratch and bite him? Or about ridiculous "trolls"? Or about children who constantly hit, punch, slap, and throw dirt at each other? Even worse than the lazy jokes and lack of originality, the story is told from the first person point of view and there's no level on which a reader can identify with any part of it. "I make up rhymes: 'Home is a place to get out of the rain. It cradles the hurt and mends the pain.'" Youngsters today are too sophisticated for cows named "Milk" and Donkeys named "Nothing" (because it's "good for nothing"). "Rump" gives a miller piles of pure spun gold and gets a small sack of potatoes in exchange? "Once, I traded ten skeins of gold for a small sack of flour and some rotten carrots"? And he eats them for dinner? This book is a waste of time. I'm thinking the author rushes the writing of plagiarized fairy tales modernized with vulgar talk in hopes of catching a movie producer's eye.

Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book. It seemed right up my alley and from the high number of good reviews I expected something more sophisticated, captivating, and fun... like the Land of Stories, for example. I'm sorry to say I was disappointed - a lot. Unfortunately, though I have no doubt that this author is talented, she writes too simply, almost like she feels she has to "dumb it down" for younger readers. In fact, I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say there is nothing a kid dislikes more in literature than reading a book written in a condescending way. This just bugged me a little bit and I felt like the story would have been more interesting and grabbing if it were written in a more sophisticated way. Again, I'm not saying that I don't think the author has the ability to write sophisticated stories.
Rump's character was a little weak, although I did enjoy his wit and how he seemed to always put others before himself. Red was actually my favorite character, and I felt like she could have been a bigger character in the story (maybe a companion on Rump's journey?) Other than that, the miller was awesome, Opal was awesome, King Barf was awesome, and every other characters I failed to mention were also great. I loved the setting of this story and thought the idea of "your name is your destiny" was very interesting. There were also some great twists that kept the reader on their toes. I felt myself skipping over some parts (like when Rump was mindlessly wandering around) but overall, although a bit disappointing in some aspects, a good (just good) read.
[one thing I have to mention: the writing did bug me here. But this doesn't mean it will for every​ young reader - I know it would for my brother, but honestly we're both kinda critical of dumbed down writing. This book wasn't particularly for me, but I can see a lot of people liking it.]

"My mother named me after a cow's rear end."

The first sentence of Liesl Shurtliff's book RUMP sets the stage for the book's protagonist and his life on The Mountain. Rump is not his entire name, mind you. As his mother attempted to utter it on her deathbed, Rump was all that she could muster before taking her last breath. The problem is that names are one's destiny and have magic powers. With a name like Rump, the future doesn't look very bright. Also, he's teased and tormented by the village bullies, Fredrick and Bruno, who call him "Butt".

Though the book's first sentence is an attention grabber, especially for kids. The story begins at a rather plodding pace in its first 50 pages. Its aim is to reveal the "little man's" side of the story. How he got his name, and the journey to spinning straw for the queen in exchange for her first born child. It's quite a page-turning story, indeed, if you can hang in there and get through the beginning.

As with most stories that interweave magic throughout the plot, there are pixies, trolls, and gnomes. Shurtliff presents them with a twist by making the gold-loving pixies as annoying and bothersome, trolls as loving through dirty creatures, and for me the most humorous, message delivering gnomes who take their jobs very seriously. When Rump discovers his mother's spinning wheel, that is when all the trouble begins. Warned by his Gran and his friend Red not to spin, Rump discovers that magic has a price and, at times, dire consequences.

Throughout the plot, rhyme-creating, and self-deprecating Rump, is in search of his true and complete name to discover his true destiny. Unfortunately, his ability to spin straw into gold has him under the power of the Miller who is determined to exploit Rump and his dimwitted daughter, Opal, to his maximum benefit. Thus, he manages to marry Opal off to King Bartholomew, otherwise known as King Barf. Rump, feeling responsible for the fate of Opal, decides he must rescue her from a very unpleasant demise. Yet, the magic that Rump possesses doesn't always allow to him adhere exactly to his plan.

Overall, this is a well-written book. There are some interesting plot twists and Shurtliff keeps it light-hearted with plenty of humor. Being familiar with the story Rumpelstiltskin makes this much more interesting and fun. Since it was one of my favorites growing up (I always liked that the queen guessed his name and kept her baby.), it was the primary reason I decided to give it a read. I found the author's note in the back interesting. Like Shurtliff, I have an uncommon first name. At least the spelling is unusual. So, I can relate to why she would tell Rump's story.

(I could never get one of those name key chains either.)

Four stars.

Anna named her son Rump (12). Frederick & Bruno (brother) made him the butt of jokes in the neighborhood.
Gran Elsbith tried to give him some encouragement.
Rump went to see Oswald (miller) & met his daughter Opal.
What did King Barf want with Opal?
Who are Mard, & Bork?
More Rump’s adventure lie ahead.

As a former school MSW the only thing I see wrong with this book is no colored/black/white pictures.

Kids & my 2 granddaughters are very visual with their books.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written children’s fairy tale book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great children’s fairy tale movie, animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. That said I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.

Thank you for the free Goodreads; MakingConnections; Penguin Random House LLC. (RHCB; Children’s books); paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff was fantastic! I listened to the audiobook while working in my classroom, and just loved it. I have a soft spot for fairy tales, and I cannot wait to read more of her (Fairly) True Tales! The story of Rumpelstiltskin has always been a strange one to me, but I really enjoyed her take on it, and I felt so much empathy for Rump that I forgot he was portrayed as the “villain” in the original story. I really want this book in my classroom library because: it’s hilarious; it explores themes of family, the importance of a name, growing up, grief, greed, honesty, and friendship through a fantasy with familiar elements and storylines; and it shows kids that there’s always another way to look at a story.

This was a fun book and a new take (or maybe I should say an expanded take as I haven't read much about the little trickster) on Rumpelstiltskin. There were some funny moments, I mean, just read the title and you get a feel for it. Poor little Rumplestiltskin doesn't know his name. He has to go by Rump, and sometimes even bottom when the mean kids come around. His magical ability to spin straw into gold turns into a curse when the greedy leaders want gold at any cost. Rump must go on a quest to find his name, free a mean princess, and and escape some trolls all by himself, but with help from some unlikely places along the way.
Any book that encourages young readers to be okay with different, to look beyond appearances and to be themselves while trying to improve is going to gain a few extra points in my review. I think boys and girls alike would like this story. It's the first book in a series and I grabbed the others I'm kind of a sucker for fairy tales though.

This is the second book I have read from Shurtliff, the first was Jack. It ended up being a wonderful fairy tale retelling/extension of Rumpelstiltskin that very entertaining and fun to read.

Poor Rump has such unfortunate luck; just as Rump’s mother was naming him she coughed and then died leaving only the first part of his name spoken...Rump. It’s an unfortunate name and Rump has had an unfortunate life. Rump thinks his luck has changed when he finds out he can spin gold out of straw, however then he finds he is only spinning himself deeper and deeper into a magical curse. Rump and his friend Red go on quest to break this curse and save the kingdom.

I really enjoyed this book, even more than I loved Jack. There is a lot of humor in here, wonderful story telling, entertaining characters, and lots of magic.

Rump has a great sense of humor (you would have to with a name like Rump) and there are some very funny scenes throughout. Rump has been dealt a tough lot in life, however he struggles through with optimism and determination. I really enjoyed him as a character. I also really enjoyed his friend Red with her snarky and no frills attitude about everything. She was awesome and I hope we see a book about her in the future.

The world is very fairy tale fantasy like and also very fun. Rump travels to places like Yonder and Beyond. You bump into a variety of fairy tale characters along the way; however this story focuses on the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this humorous fairy tale retelling. I think middle grade readers and older who enjoy fantasy and/or fairy tales will really enjoy this book. I would also recommend A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz to those who enjoy humorous fairy tale retellings. This book is for a bit younger crowd and more light-hearted than Gidwitz’s series but it’s similar in a lot of ways as well.

Student Name: Genevieve

What did you like the most and why?
I liked the beginning of the book because it was serious and I like serious.

What did you like the least?
I did not like half of the beginning because they did not tell him his name.

5 stars

Student Name: Ash

What did you like the most and why?
I liked the detail of the book the most because I could understand better.

What did you least like about the book?
I least liked the length of the chapters because it takes a lot of time to read.

I give this 4 stars

Title: "Rump"
Author: Liesl Shurtliff
Publication date: 4/9/2013
Type of book: Young reader fantasy/fairytale.
Is this a part of a series, If yes, which number? Not part of a series.
Summary: Rump's mother dies in childbirth and he never knows the full name that she gave him before she died. He grows up with his grandmother who loves him very much but his life is not an easy one. They are very poor and Rump has to dig for gold in the mines every day just to put a little bit of food on the table. Because he's small, Rump gets picked on by the other kids in the village on a regular basis. His only friend is Red, a strong no nonsense girl who sticks up for Rump when she can. When Rump finds an old spinning wheel he discovers that he has the ability to spin straw into gold. He thinks that all his problems are solved but he quickly realizes that gifts can become curses in the blink of an eye.
Characters:
*Rump: He is so sweet and you just feel for him throughout the story. I found him to be a very relatable character.
*Red: Spunky and strong. I loved her so much. Plus she is very smart and caring. Rump couldn't have picked a better friend.
Favorite bits:
*Gold hungry pixies.
*Rump's Gran telling him to spin gold in his heart.
*"A Stiltskin is magic at its greatest. Pure magic, un-meddled-with and more powerful than any enchantment or spell."
*Rump's Gran tells him the story of Snow White. I love when fairytale stories bring other tales into them. I find it really fun.
*Rump's aunts Hadel, Balthilda, and Ida are really fun to read about and it's sweet the way that they care for him.
*I liked the importance of names in the book.
*Mard and the other trolls are a wonderful part of this book. They live simple happy lives and they are very smart. They take care of Rump when he needs it the most.
*I love that Rump says that meanness is a choice.
*Overall Rump was a very well written story with a sweet cast of characters. I flew through it and I think that readers will really enjoy this enchanting tale.
Problematic bits: I feel like Rump may be a little on the heavy side for some young readers but that is the only issue I had with it.

One of my favorite genres of literature is the "retold fairy tale" -- a book that takes a classic story and tells it with a new twist, or from another character's perspective. Some of my favorite books come from this particular genre -- East,The Snow Child: A Novel,The Goose Girl (Books of Bayern), and most anything by Gail Carson Levine. It always amazes me how an old story can be given an entirely new life simply by tweaking the setting, switching the point of view, or just adding something unexpected to the mix.

"Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin" is, as you might guess from the title, a retelling of the classic tale of "Rumpelstiltskin," told from the point of view of the infamous little man who could spin straw into gold. And somehow, this story does the impossible -- it makes you sympathize with the titular character, and even root for him to succeed.

In a land where your name defines your destiny, Rump is extremely unlucky -- his mother died giving birth to him, and only managed to give him half of his name before she died. So he's been stuck as Rump all his life, and suffered all kinds of teasing and abuse for it. His village survives -- barely -- by mining gold and giving it to the wealthy miller, who in turn hands it over to the gold-obsessed king of the land. When Rump discovers he has the ability to spin straw into gold, he thinks he finally has the means to feed himself and his aging grandmother. But his gift comes with a terrible price... and when he sets out to save the miller's daughter when the greedy miller tries to claim she has Rump's abilities, he'll learn the truth about his gift and where it comes from. His quest will take him far from home and on encounters with wool-spinning witches, gold-loving pixies, dirty but unexpectedly intelligent trolls, and the truth about his name, powers, and family past.

Author Liesl Shurtliff has managed to do the impossible -- she's made the infamous Rumpelstiltskin a sympathetic character. While not a gnome or a goblin as the original tales suggest, he's nonetheless a very real character, and while he does his share of moping about his name and his lot in life, he's nonetheless determined to make life better for himself. He's not perfect, making mistakes and overestimating his skills at times, but that makes him far more believable than a perfect hero. And in the end, you can't help but want to see him succeed at his quest.

Other characters are mostly here to support Rump, and aren't quite as fleshed out. But Red (who seems to be modeled after Red Riding Hood, making me wonder if a spinoff centering around her isn't in the works) is a feisty and likable best friend to Rump, and does her best to help him in his quest. The miller of this story is an appropriately slimy and greedy villain, and the miller's daughter, usually the heroine of a Rumpelstiltskin story, turns out to be a brainless idiot, though she does become sympathetic later on.

Every element of the original story is present in this one, but are also expanded so they make sense in this retold tale. Rump's magic ability has its drawbacks that entrap both him and those who bargain for his gold, and the way the magic system is set up makes logical sense. As for the ending... well, I'll let the reader see whether Rump's story ends like his fairy-tale counterpart's or not.

A wonderful retold tale, and both a fun fantasy-quest story and a powerful message about finding one's destiny. I hope to see more of this author, and am eager to see if she has any more tales set in Rump's kingdom.

Rump is a fun, humorous retelling of a traditional fairy tale that we all know, Rumplestiltskin. The writing was charming. The characters were funny and interesting. Here's a little demonstration of both the delightful writing and the great main character, Rump, who wrote this poem.

Home is a place to get out of the rain

It cradles the hurt and mends the pain

And no one cares about your name

Or the height of your head

Or the size of your brain

- Liesl Shurtliff, Rump, pg 8

This book was written before Once Upon a Time came out, but I can't help comparing the two since they are both intelligent retellings. There's a scene in this book where Red is talking about the consequences of magic and I couldn't help but hear my favorite character, Rumplestitlskin from Once Upon a Time, say "All magic comes with a price!" Another similarity to Once Upon a Time is the ability of this story to get us to empathize with the "villain." I was really impressed that Liesl Shurtliff was able to keep the plot so close to the traditional fairy tale but give us back story and motivations in a way that made me see the story in a new light and not see Rump as the bad guy. It also kind of felt like a prequel because of the back story about his parents that the author went into.

Rump has a beautiful message about the importance of names and labels and our destiny. It's a story about not only learning from your own mistakes but the mistakes of others.

My one and only (and very small) complaint is that it felt like it ended very quickly.

Overall, it was a charming fairy tell retelling about finding your destiny that will appeal to everyone - especially if you are a Once Upon a Time fan.

I was fascinated by this wonderful story. I have heard a few different versions, so I was keeping an eye out for all the familiar story elements. I was suspicious if this would be "really" Rumpelstiltskin. Well, it sure is!

This was a nicely fleshed out version, which I really appreciated. I love the Witch in the Woods and the stubborn donkey, but the trolls in the forest are the absolute best.
I really enjoyed the conversations he had with them, they struck me as so sincere and so practical. The trolls felt so real to me, I could imagine sitting around talking to them (but not eating with them!)

I enjoyed the life lessons as well, about truth, destiny, greed, honor and acceptance. It was quite a rich experience, and it's going to stick with me a long, long time.

With the help of his only friend, Red, her grandmother, and his family, Rump searches for his real name, learns his special gift, and begins the journey that will lead him to becoming a well-known and sometimes villainized fairy tale character.

I give this book 5 out of 5 dragons for the awesome cover art. The whimsical depiction of a dark wood, a castle, pixies, and two young people on the cover caught my eye before the title did!

As for the story, I give it 4 out of 5 dragons. I enjoy a good twist on the classics probably more than a lot of people I know, but this had little to do with the old story I always enjoyed. In fact, I rather like the character of Rumpelstiltskin and this supremely likable character, whom the audience will identify and empathize with, threw me for a loop!

Over all, though, I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to reading other works by Liesl Shurtliff. (I’m getting ready to go get Jack now!)

For full review see: https://alaynabellesmom.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/rump-review/

Rump is a book that I received through my class Scholastic Book order. Scholastic offered this and two other books as a getting ready for the year pack. I was pleasantly surprised with the book and I am looking forward to recommending it to my students.

Rump lives in a mountain town within a kingdom. His birth and naming are less than ideal- his mother dies and is able to whisper his name, but only the beginning of it (Rump) is heard by his grandmother. In a world where names hold your destiny, Rump, is not much. As with everyone who lives on The Mountain, Rump toils and mines and looks for gold to trade for the month's provisions from the greedy miller. Not only is Rump bullied and teased by kids his own age, but he struggles to understand how he fits in the world. Rump eventually embarks on a journey when he discovers his mother's old spinning wheel buried in the wood pile out behind the cottage he shares with his grandmother. He discovers he can spin straw into gold and his problems must be solved. Red, the only person who seems to be Rump's friend, finds out about his spinning talent and cautions him that magic always comes at a price. Thus begins Rumps real journey- find his name, set right the direction of his life, and take control of things.

This was a fun book and great reimagining of a familiar fairy tale. I can see this as a fantastic way to look at fairy tales and then the retelling (in the same manner as The Real Story of the 3 Little Pigs). Funny, touching, and smart!

In "Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin" (Knopf 2013), Liesl Shurtliff retells the story that the Brothers Grimm collected in Germany and first published in 1812. In Shurtliff's story Rump is not an imp, but a smallish boy.
Why in the past did they think he was an imp? Rump mistakenly steps on a pixie nest and they retaliate by biting his face, arms, legs, and yes, his rump. The painful bites swell and disfigure the boy, so he probably looked like an imp. Temporarily.
But back to the beginning. After whispering the name of her newborn in his ear, his mother dies. He can only remember "Rump." In his world, his name is his destiny. The naming of babies is so important that people name nothing else. They live in the Village at the base of the Mountain in the Kingdom. The animals don't even have names, but Rump identifies his goat as Milk and his donkey as Nothing. His mother came from Yonder or maybe Beyond. With a name like Rump, of course he's teased relentlessly.
The Mountain was once full of gold and it is the villagers' unfortunate task to mine what little remains and pay it as a tax to the greedy Miller who in turn hands it over to the gold-loving King. As is true in the Grimm version, the Miller tells the King that his daughter can spin straw into gold. Great. The greedy king takes the miller's daughter as his bride. Now what? They need Rump who can spin straw to gold. What a heartless clever Miller!
In this romp with Rump, Shurtliff offers some sly turns of wisdom. The sludge-slurping trolls are known to eat human flesh. Not true, but the trolls keep humans at bay by letting them think this because, one says, "Humans take one look at any living creature and think only how they can use it."
There's more fun to be had. Gnomes pop out of holes in the road, take messages, and deliver them to individuals throughout the Kingdom. What a great way to send and receive messages.
As for the pixies, usually Rump is just swatting them away like we might swat at insects. But unlike most insects, pixies have garish colored hair and spectacular wings. The pixies are attracted to Rump because they love gold and they sense that Rump has a way with straw (in that he can spin it into gold) long before Rump knows of his talents.
Rump must discover his full name--and with it, his destiny. Afterall, You are what you're named. Rump? No, there must be more to this guileless self-deprecating boy. And why ever would he want the new queen's firstborn? Shurtliff explains it all in her clever retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin."

Patricia Hruby Powell is a nationally touring speaker, dancer, storyteller, occasional librarian, and children's book author. See more on-line at [...]

I'm giving this book 5 bright stars!! My 12 year old son who "detests" reading hasn't been able to put this book down. My son reads NOTHING!! He loves stories and will listen to a book read aloud or listen to a book on cd/audio which is what he normally chooses for reading that has to be done for school. At the beginning of this school year, he told his teacher that her rating system for "my like of reading" didn't have enough categories for him to express his negative feelings about reading. He has never read anything for pleasure and when forced he will begrudgingly read a few pages and never finishes the book. I can't even express how my heart swells watching him reach for this book first thing in the morning. We checked it out of the library, but he asked me to BUY it for him. Yes, I will.

The novel, “Rump: The True Story of RUMPELSTILTSKIN,” by Liesl Shurtliff is a wonderful expansion of Grimm’s fairy tale. This well written and entertaining novel encourages children to seek their own names, identities and destinies. I find it a satisfying read. Ingeniously Shurtliff explores the issue or theme of what is in a person’s name and destiny. The author entices readers to explore how magical a name can be for someone who has only half a name such as Rump. Such a well written book is worth the read for all ages. I think we as a modern society often forget that naming something gives it power—makes it exist. That is what this novel does so well. While Rump stumbles from one bad situation after the other—all the while seeking his name, the reader can clearly see his mistakes when dealing with the magic he possesses in order to spin straw into gold. Shurtliff skillfully weaves a tapestry of themes including power, greed, magic, and destiny into the fabric of this story. This novel also has well developed characters, unique settings, interesting dialogue (love the Trolls!) and it is sure to delight readers with its marvelous ending. Well done. I’m looking forward to reading, “Jack: the True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Okay I love Fairytales!!! And more then the usual tales I love twisted or reimagined tales. And this one did not disappoint me. I loved it. I loved how well she wove the original tale with her new story. How everything fit and didn't seem forced. It was entertaining, well thought out and so much fun to read. I can't wait to read Jack, and Red. A Brilliant story one that any middle school kid could read and enjoy plus those older who like fairy tales.

I LOVED this book! Such a great little story about who Rumpelstiltskin is, and where he came from. There's trolls, pixies, Kings, Queens, witches, evil merchants and magic! A great book for kids to read or to have read to them at bedtime. It's not scary or gory, and every chapter has something exciting going on.

So glad I read this and can't wait to read more by this author. I hope she continues with more stories like this because she's really good at telling them!

Readers will feel for Rump who is teased and bullied. In fact, Red is his only friend. His mother is dead, so Rump is raised by his frail grandmother. When Rump fails to mine enough gold to feed the two of them, he discovers he has a gift (or curse) for turning straw into gold.

With clever characters, humor, and suspense - Rump is an enjoyable tale for readers of all ages. It's a fresh take on the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, impossible to put down and incredibly charming. I didn't want this impressive debut to end. Rump is endearing, and Red is spunky and smart. I'd love to read more of their adventures.

Previously posted at SciFiChick.

I loved this story!

I picked it up specifically because of the blurb about the author’s name in the back and ended up really enjoying this story.

Rump is a young boy that has no idea why his mother named him Rump. He is constantly picked on for it and nothing seems to go right for him. Living with his gran, Rump works in the mines every day trying to find gold so that him and his gran can eat. This is the story of a little boy that discovers the true nature of his name and what that means for him.

A super fun adventure story that I definitely recommend!

I give "Rump" 5 out of 5 stars because it was super exciting. It kept me wondering how he would figure out his true name. It also kept me on my toes with an epic adventure spinning straw into gold and saving his one friend. One of my favorite parts was probably him seeing his Aunts and figuring out stuff about his mom. His mom was selfish but also kind and she loved Rump. Another thing I love about this book is that they tell us Rump's name means "trapped in magic" and Rumple has a magic problem. I really enjoyed this book.

Rump the true story of rumpelstiltskin was really interesting. In the beginning he only gets half his name cause his mom dies due to some illness and so later on in his life he goes on a quest. The boys in the village tease him cause his name (rump) mean butt (If you think about it). He only has one true friend and her name is Red. Rump lives with his grandma but she dies to cause it got too cold . Rump is then alone and then finds out he can spin gold and gold is scarce where he lives so he uses it to get food from the miller, but what ever the miller offers him he must accept it because he is cursed with a spell. Later on the King thinks someone is stealing his gold so he goes village to village to find out. Rump starts to panic. To save himself and the miller they say Opal is the one spinning the gold. So the Kind declares that if Opal spins a roomful of gold he will merry her. Later on he finds out half his name: Rumpel it means to be cursed. He finds his three aunts, lovers of nature but people think they are witches because they live in the woods and can cast spells and stuff like that. In the end he finds out his whole name RUMPELSTILTSKIN. This book was really nice and kept me entertained for a while until i finished it. I couldn't put it down, I missed out on real life events of how hooked in I was into it

I first heard of this book at a presentation a few months ago, and I have been meaning to read it for a while now, and I am really glad I did. A truly meaningful message has been hidden behind the authors great although sometimes childish sense of humor. It was a fairly short read, I finished it in one day, butt that means it managed to keep me interested for a couple hours without being able to put it down. In the book you get to finally hear Rumpels side of this mysterious story we have all heard many times over. (Who would want a newborn child?) The jokes and creativity kept me laughing the whole time as I learned what really happened behind the scenes. Shurtliff has managed to write one of my new favorite books, which is not an easy task considering how many books there are. Keep up the good work!

As someone who's always been intrigued by the power of names, I love the story of Rumpelstiltskin. He's an enigmatic, lonely figure. So I was thrilled that Liesl Shurtliff's book fractured his fairytale in such a charming way, telling the story of a young Rump in search of his own name and a way to control the gift of magic that is his birthright.

Shurtliff's writing is engaging, pulling you into the story from the start, when we meet Rump, who is literally the butt of his schoolmates' jokes. As Rump learns of his power and struggles to discover his destiny, the story moves along so quickly I forgot I was turning pages. Stock fairytale characters like the Witch, the Troll, and the Evil King are rendered with such detail and uniqueness that they rise above their usual personas. The story flows naturally from Shurtliff's easy style, and Rump is a scrappy hero who's fun to root for. A great story.

(Disclaimer: I read an advance readers' copy of this book)

This is a great version of Rumplestiltskin. It paints Rumplestiltskin as a sympathetic character and gives fictional background information so we see why Rumplestiltskin is the way he is. It's also a story about believing in your own magic/specialness. Good story. Also a great book club selection for young adults.

I thought Mrs. Shurtliff did an amazing job writing this cute and funny story. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because of the ending. Although the book ended similar to my expectations, I felt that the story should have wrapped up less quickly. I felt like the book left a lot of loose ends and basically says, this is what happens to so and so, the end. I don't know, I guess I had hoped for more in the ending, but really loved the book and I plan to read it to my children when they get a little older.

This children's story was nice enough, but wasn't fully engaging for me. It's a revamping of the story of Rumplestilskin. The boy, Rump, begins his life not knowing his true name and saddled with one that opens him to a world of teasing. Raised with kindness from his grandmother, Rump has a simple life with basic challenges of finding enough food to eat. When he unexpectedly discovers a hidden talent and ends up on his own, he find himself in a world of trouble that takes the course of the book to undo. While the story was nice enough, the characters and plot did not reel me in, though I did appreciate the trolls immensely. I didn't care for the fact that the boy's friend, Red, hit him repeatedly throughout the story - I think it was supposed to be a sign of affection (she was hitting him in the arm typically), but it happened too frequently for my taste. I'm sure kids would show greater appreciation for the tale. This story would be appropriate for nine year olds and older.

I'm reading this with my 8 year old daughter and we both really enjoy it. The writing is wonderful, which makes me happy, and the story is imaginative and funny, which she loves. Unique storyline and wonderful characterization. Never thought I'd feel empathy for Rumpelstiltskin, but I do. Will very likely read this author again.

This novel was enchanting. I loved the exploration of Rump's character as well as the world's perceptions of names and their significance. The way the elements of this tale matched the parts of the classic story were also interesting, making it seem like this novel is the true happenings that caused the creation of the tale of Rumpelstiltskin.

This was a family favorite! Both of my boys ages 6 and 8 LOVED this book, and I think my husband and I enjoyed it almost as much as they did. Each night we read a chapter to our six year old, and our eight year old was able to read it on his own. This was a well-written, fun, engaging twist on one of our favorite fairy tales. Definitely good for the middle grades, but I think all ages would enjoy this.

I loved this book. A coming of age story about a character most of us know and hated. I love the spin the author puts on his life and how it is out of his control. I read this book because it was nominated for the Bluebonnet Award here in Texas. I am glad I did and I will read it again and recommend it to our library patrons.

What a wonderfully sweet, innocent version of the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin. This is definitely a junior book but I loved their version of Trolls and the including of Red, Little Red Riding Hood. I hope the author gives Red her own story as well.

Got the book for my son to read for school. We ended up reading it together. It was a nice twice on the original story that leaves you feeling as though "Rump" wasn't as bad as he is portrayed in the classic story. We both looked forwarded to spending time together reading this book each night.

The concept of this book totally intrigued me. And the cover! But the story itself didn't live up to what I expected. It started off strong. I liked Rump and his Gran and Red, and the setting was interesting.

But the story impressed me less and less as I read. I thought Rump jumped far too quickly and easily to the conclusion that he could spin gold. And a lot of things felt rather contrived.

I found myself beginning to skim the story about half-way through. The plot began to meander, and the voice seemed to subtly change. It started off feeling original and clever, but that got lost somewhere along the line.

That said, the characterization was good throughout. And I really like the pixies and the trolls. I'm sure there will be a lot of kids who enjoy this book because of the adventure and some of the silly and fun things throughout. While I wasn't blown away, I thought it was a decent read and would recommend parents give it a try for older elementary and younger middle school age kids.

I just love a fractured fairy tale and this one is spun gold - literally! Rump is a bit of a runt living with his grandmother in a small mining village near THE KINGDOM. He has one good friend and even Red gives him the what for every so often. Everyone in the village must mine the gold mines and in exchange for the gold powder they receive a bit of grain to survive. All Rump really wants to do is figure out what his mother named him as she died and when he finds her spindle everything starts to unravel. Filled with wonderful witches, trolls and message gnomes, this book will delight young and old. The message is clear - magic comes with a price. Hats off to Liesl Shurtliff on a delightful debut - can we have one next about Red?

It's been hard to find books for my 8 year old daughter that are challenging but enjoyable to read. My daughter brought home "Rump" from school and is obsessed with it. She reads it every chance she gets. I've never seen her so excited about reading and I love it. I've ordered the book to have at home plus her other book "Jack". Can't wait to surprise my daughter with them.

This book, about the true story of Rumplestiltskin, is so darn clever. I adored the fairy-tale world building and the characters. Shurtliff really breathed life into a tale that I'd barely remembered from childhood. I really liked how having a special gift like spinning straw into gold wasn't as good as you'd think it'd be--there's a catch, for sure, and it gets Rump into all sorts of trouble as he tries to find out who and what he truly is.

We are currently reading this story before bedtime and the whole family is intrigued and holding on to our seats to find out what happens next. Love the twist on the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin. The book gives the names a whole new level of meaning.

I bought this for my 8 year old daughter. She read in less than a week and loved it. So much so, that I ended up reading it. It was just as good as she said. I haven't read any other versions of this story (aside from the abridged fairy tales) so I have nothing to compare it to, but I thought it was so good that we've since bought it for several of her friends and my nieces for birthday gifts.

It is a sweet story about what names can or can't do for our destiny. Wonderfully written and easy to follow. This would be a great book to read aloud to a child, with descriptions that can easily create pictures of the story in the mind's eye.

A very imaginative spin on what is really sort of short, simple tale (the original Rumplestiltskin). If you are a parent looking for a child-appropriate book that is also bearable for you, this is a GREAT option to read as a family.

I read this to my 5th grade class. They cried, they laughed, and the best part is I could tie it to every standard we taught. I'm working on buying a class set! This was an amazing book! We are now reading the book Jack by the same author and it does not disappoint.

My children and I both love this story. It's entertaining right from the start all the way till the clever ending. Every day we quote from it. It has many funny rhymes that we love to repeat.
I highly recommend it.

My nine-year old daughter says, "it explains the story of Rumpelstiltskin behind the scenes - why he wanted the baby; how he was named; and what he did afterwards. It was pretty funny in parts and I liked the mix of emotions."

I got this book and read it in two days. I LOVED it. Rump is enchanting and is well written. If you love Ella Enchanted, Princess Academy, or The True Story of The Three Little Pigs then this will be a new family favorite. I will definitely be reading this to my children for years to come. Rump is finally the hero and his story is more adventurous and fun than the original fiarytale. This is a MUST read.

I only wrote this because I had to and I am seriously not happy about it at all. I have recently read Rump and I like that is an adventure type of story. My favorite event in the story was when Rump met the trolls. I liked that part because it was funny and interesting.

I had never been a big fan of the fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin but this book changed my mind! Such a fun, humorous and clever take on the classic. I read it to my children ages 5 - 9 and they couldn't wait for bedtime when they could listen to another chapter of this magical book full of trolls, fairies, bullies, magic and a surprising hero. One of the best children's books I've read in a long time. I can't wait for another book by Liesl Shurtliff.

We got this book and my 10 year old daughter is currently reading it. She has absolutely loved it and doesn't want to put it down. She talks about it a lot and now my other kids are fighting over who gets to read it next. This is definitely worth buying and will be enjoyed by both girls and boys.

I throughly enjoyed this book but over all I thought the ending was amazing. I liked the ending because it wasn't abrupt, instead it was what I thought would end any great book. It would also make a good movie... well at least if they didn't take out so many parts.

Fun book to use as a read aloud and make connections to the original fairy tale.
Also a good reminder about the importance of being ourselves and that it's okay to be different, whether by name or in other ways.

While I was initially intrigued with this story, it dragged and became quite depressing... Not a single character showed any kindness or likeability. Selfishness and crude humor dominated what could have been a beautiful story of character-building, friendship, and intrigue. I picked this for my nine-year-old daughter, based on her love of the Land of Stories books, but I will recommend she not read this one.

Two of our sons read this (ages 12 and 10). Both of them loved it and retold their favorite parts over and over throughout their read. Any book that gets my sons reading like that is worthy of 5-stars based on that alone, but from thumbing through and sampling some pages, the writing is crisp and clever. So in addition to being a story that sucked my sons in and moved them through the entire book quickly, it exposed them to excellent writing along the way.