The Ever After Life of the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales

The focus of this book is first to explore the explosion of translations, retellings, recastings, reimaginings, and extensions of Grimm fairy tales. A second focus is to examine the trends and changes found in these stories from the early editions to the present. Is there an underlying message?

The Ever After Life of the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales explores the continuous presence of the Brothers Grimm stories, which began in 1812 and continue on to the present and most likely, the future. These stories live on through two different natures. A traditional nature presents itself through translations emerging from various editors of the original Kinder und Hausmärchen and analogous retellings. The second nature of these tales breaks the boundaries of the original and encompasses countless literary forms and styles, unique art, a variety of cultures and languages, performing arts, and even contemporary media. These works reimagine, recreate, and reflect society's values and attitudes. The first nine chapters of this book examine how Grimm tales permeate our world. The final chapter examines the trends and changes found in these stories from the early editions to the present. Grimm tales may have changed externally, but internally they continue to address the issues as predators, desertion, envy, sibling rivalry, betrayal, and injustice, but not without the enduring element of hope.

Dr. Martha Ann Brueggeman (Marti) is a Professor Emeritus of Ashland University, where she taught graduate and undergraduate literacy, children's literature, early childhood, and special education courses. Prior to college teaching she taught both regular and special education in a variety of grade levels and in both public and Lutheran schools. Her Ph.D. is from Akron University with a specialization in literacy and oral language development. Marti earned her M.Ed. from Kent State University in Special Education. Her B.S. in Ed. is from Valparaiso University. In addition, she has completed extensive graduate course work in school psychology at the University of Nebraska and literacy at Virginia Polytechnical Institute. Marti has presented at conferences at the state, national, and international level. She has published in both state and national journals as Literacy Research and Instruction, Journal of Reading, American Secondary Educator, and the Florida Reading Journal. She is one of the authors of Literature for Young Adults: Books and More for Contemporary Readers. Marti and her husband Jim have two grown children and four grandchildren. They currently live in Westerville, Ohio.