10+ Fairy Tale Picture Books That Aren’t Scary
Fairy tales don’t have to be frightening! If you’ve got little ones who are sensitive to spooky stories, this list of not-so-scary fairy tale picture books is just what you need. I combed through dozens of picture books to find these gentler tales. These are the adaptations we love to read in our home and I hope you love them too!
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Fairytales are magical, but many of the original stories are a little intense for younger readers. So, I put together this list of fairy tale picture books that are “not so scary”! This list is perfect for younger readers or sensitive kids.
When I first started to introduce my daughter to fairy tales, I was dismayed at how scary so many picture book editions were! There were books that even I, as an adult, found creepy. So, I went on a mission to curate a list of not-so-scary fairy tales.
We read through dozens of fairy tales and picked our favorites. As a working and homeschooling mom I know that time is short, so utilize this list and save yourself some time! If you need to record-keep for school, don’t miss the free printable list and reading log.
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Why Read Fairy Tales?
Why even bother with fairy tales when there are plenty of beautifully illustrated picture books thoughtfully designed just-for-kids?
Well, there’s a few reasons to consider!
- Build imagination – Fairy tales transport kids into magical worlds where anything is possible, sparking creativity.
- Teach life lessons – Classic stories often highlight values like kindness, honesty, courage, perseverance, and the difference between right and wrong.
- Develop critical thinking – Kids learn to recognize patterns in storytelling, predict outcomes, and think about choices characters make.
- Strengthen cultural literacy – Fairy tales are part of our shared culture and language; knowing them helps kids connect with literature, history, and even jokes or references they’ll encounter later.
- Encourage a love of reading – Fairy tales are engaging read-alouds that help children fall in love with books.
How We’re Using Fairy Tales In Our Homeschool
When we were working through the first level of All About Reading, the author included a suggestion of reading aloud fairy tales with your new reader (reading aloud together is a foundational part of the reading program).
I thought this was a great idea and realized that we really hadn’t read many fairy tales together yet. We’ve enjoyed reading the tales on the list and comparing and contrasting the stories and characters.
We’ve also had great discussions about each tale and the morals found within.
Fairy Tale Picture Books That Aren’t Scary
Beyond illustrations, many of the original fairy tales are actually quite grotesque. I remember stumbling upon Blue Beard in an anthology once–ick!
Luckily, there are editions and adaptions that preserve the stories, but lighten up on the gore. Picture book fairy tales are fun to read together and my list has collected the books that are more gentle and less scary.
Starting with the less-scary tales is a good place to begin. For instance, you’ll find several editions of Cinderella on the list below, but none of Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. Those two stories in particular always get the creepiest illustrations of the villains.
Remember: “Scary” is subjective. Some students might find even the books on this list to be scary and other students will be able to tolerate far more. The best course of action is to read the books before your student does and select titles that you think are best.
I’ve curated this list as I’ve read fairy tales with my own children, and am adding to it as I find more books that fit in. I welcome ideas if you have favorites in your home as well!
Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella by Jan Brett
Jan Brett’s books are lavishly illustrated–I’m truly amazed at how many books she has produced! This particular picture book is called Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella and is a retelling of the Cinderella story–but with chickens!
Beauty and the Beast by Jan Brett
Any picture book featuring a “beast” seems destined to be scary, but Jan Brett has created a beast that is more like a wild animal than anything else. Her Beauty and the Beast picture book more closely follows the original tale (versus the Disney adaption).
Like Brett’s other books, there is a lot hiding in the illustrations. Watch for clues to the secrets of the Beast and his castle.
Beauty and the Beast by Cynthia Rylant and Meg Park
This edition of Beauty and the Beast does have some shadowy images of the beast that might feel scary for some readers, but it’s otherwise fairly tame. Give it a quick page-through before you read.
Cynthia Rylant is one of my favorite picture book authors and her retelling of Beauty and the Beast accompanied by Meg Park’s beautiful illustrations makes for a lovely edition of the story!
La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya and Juana Martinez-Neal
La Princesa and the Pea is such a fun book! It is a playful and humorous retelling of the classic tale of the Princess and the Pea. The book has plenty of Spanish words spoken throughout, but the handy pronunciation guide at the back will help you say them correctly even if you do not speak any Spanish. The illustrations are can’t-miss. They are fantastic!
I also just found that this same author/illustrator team created, La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for los Niños, which is in the same style so I will likely pick up a copy of this one too.
The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo and Ruth Heller
The Korean Cinderella is not just a re-telling of Cinderella, but also includes elements from Korean fairy tales too. Don’t miss the notes at the end of the book for extra explanation of all that’s included in the book. The story follows a beautiful girl named Pear Blossom who is treated unfairly by her stepmother and her new stepsister, Peony.
Cinderella by Marcia Brown
Marcia Brown, who authored/illustrated this edition of Cinderella, was a three-time Caldecott Medalist, so you know the illustrations will be charming! Marcia Brown translated her text from Charles Perrault’s French classic, and appears to have set the illustrations in the late 1700s (Marie-Antoinette’s era).
Cendrillon by Robert D. San Souci and Brian Pinkney
Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella opens with Cendrillon’s mother dying (could be troubling to younger children). The story follows both Cendrillon and her godmother (who is is possession of a magic wand) and is adapted from a traditional Creole story.
Brain Pinkney’s illustrations are bold and beautiful!
The Ugly Duckling by Rachel Isadora
Rachel Isadora (a Caldecott Honor winner) sets her story of The Ugly Duckling in the wilds of Africa. Her bright and colorful collages are unique and lovely!
The classic tale from Hans Christian Andersen is really not too scary at all, but this books does have a few things to note: At one point the Ugly Duckling watches hunters kill two geese that fall from the sky. There is also a big dog with sharp teeth illustrated.
The Ugly Duckling by Stephen Mitchell
This book is quite long, but it is a good edition of The Ugly Duckling with illustrations from Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. It’s been awhile since we’ve read this one, but I noticed reviewers online were frustrated by the emphasis on the the duckling being ugly.
I thought the story stuck close to the original. The point of a fairy tale is usually to provoke deeper though and consideration versus presenting a story about a life without suffering.
Mary Engelbreit’s Nutcracker
Mary Engelbreit’s Nutcracker is a fun holiday picture book read. Many of us are familiar with the ballet adaption of The Nutcracker, but the story was based on an even earlier tale, E. T. A. Hoffmanns 1816 The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
I think there are certainly a few eyebrow-raising moments in the original (and adaptions), but this picture edition sticks mostly with the magical elements and not so much on the darker ones.
Engelbreit’s illustrations are truly impeccable. This is one we’ve gotten from the library most seasons, but I may purchase our own copy this year. Note: the story does have illustrations of the fierce mouse king and his soldiers with swords.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by James Marshall
Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a classic story, but this edition provides some commentary on the bad behavior of Goldilocks, which I found both fun and instructive. The illustrations are humorous and light-hearted.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Rachel Isadora
Another lovely edition of a classic fairy tale from Rachel Isadora: The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a story I remember reading over and over when I was kid and I loved finding this inspired re-telling. The illustrations are vibrant and the story is not scary.
Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas – By Natasha Yim
Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas is a a sweet retelling of Goldilocks with a plot twist! Goldy repents of her mistakes and works to fix them.
This would be great to read alongside the other Goldilocks story on this last and ask your kids questions to compare and contrast the tales. Note: The story does center around “luck”.
The Mermaid by Jan Brett
The Mermaid by Jan Brett was a bit of a surprise! I expected this one to be a retelling of The Little Mermaid, but it turns out it is actually a retelling of Goldilocks.
The illustrations take place in magical seas–inspired by the ocean waters off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. A curious mermaid invades the beautiful shell home of a family of octopuses. Brett also has a “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” book with the traditional bear family and golden-haired nuisance, but I haven’t yet read that one.
What are your favorites? Do you have any less-scary or not-scary fairy tales that you’ve discovered? I’d love to hear about them!
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