GIRLS

In this collection of fairy-tale retellings translated from Dutch, girlhood is fraught with danger.

In the spirit of the classic versions of these European tales popularized by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, seven stories contrast humanity’s darker impulses with the youth and vulnerability evoked by the title. The book opens with “Mr Stiltskin,” in which a careless miller offers up his daughter’s gold-spinning talent to an avaricious king. In “Biscuits,” sisters abandoned by their workaholic father wander the streets until they find a bakery whose owners eagerly use the hungry children for a marketing campaign. The theme of neglectful adults continues in “Sleeper,” in which a girl must singlehandedly maintain the household when her parents become immobilized with grief over her dying sister. Danger lurks beyond the family unit in the form of the resentful titular creature in “Wolf” and a sinister village reverend in “Blue.” It may also appear from within, through internalized ideals of masculinity (in “Frog”) and femininity (in “Monster Girl”). Readers won’t find conventional happy endings, though several stories conclude on hopeful notes, with girls grasping independence and self-worth as they move forward. The retellings are largely faithful to their source material, with small differences that draw attention to unsettling implications within each one. The third-person omniscient point of view highlights the girls’ internal narration, which reveals their own selfishness but also their courage and kindness. Schaap’s evocative art punctuates the text.

Cautionary tales that feel both fresh and familiar.