Rabunzel : fairy tales for the fearless by Gareth P. Jones. Illus. by Loretta Schauer

Rabunzel has a teeny tufty tail, a twitchy nose and two wide brown eyes. She also has VERY long ears - so long that her mother worries they will make her easy bait for the hungry creatures of the forest.

The answer? Rabunzel must be kept safe in  towering hutch, high in the sky. Here Rabunzel, bored to bits, waits grumpily for her mother's daily visit with carrots and fresh lettuce, letting down her ears so she can climb up the tower.

But one day, it isn't her mother who climbs up Rabunzel's very long ears.

Usually I'm wary of these fractured versions of fairytales because they can be a bit silly, but this new series is subtitled Fairy Tales for the Fearless and it has a feminist twist which sits with Neil Gaiman's message perfectly: 'You don't need princes to save you. I don't have a lot of patience for stories in which women are rescued by men.'

With its rhyming text and lovely pictures, it is an entertaining story in itself and Rabunzel's solution for dealing with the hungry animals and her rejection of her 'saviour' Flash Harry Hare offer lots of discussion points that can initiate some critical thinking of other stories that our girls, particularly, are dished up as essential reading - still! It can also pose some provocative questions to challenge the thinking of some of our boys.

This video clip is the perfect accompaniment and summary. 

And if you're looking for more in this vein, this is from A Mighty Girl... The Ultimate Guide to the Independent Princess . 'These princesses are smart, daring, and aren't waiting around to be rescued - more than likely, they'll be doing the rescuing themselves! For a diverse selection of more empowering fairy tales, visit our Fairy Tale & Folklore Collection."

Themes: Fairy tales retold.

Barbara Braxton