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Fearless Fairy Tales

by Konnie Huq and James Kay, illustrated by Rikin Parekh

Interest age: 6 to 11
Reading age: 7+

Published by Piccadilly, 2020

  • Fantasy
  • Funny

About this book

Are you weary of wistful princesses waiting to be rescued by handsome princes? Would you like to read classic stories that have something worthwhile to say about the world we live in today? And would you like to laugh your socks off at those stories and the clever, colourful pictures that go with them? Then it’s your lucky day!

Meet Sleeping Brainy whose ambition is to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. And Robin Hoodlum who collects taxes from the poor for his boss, the billionaire Baron Bottybum. Or how about Trumplestiltskin, an angry, orange man with ridiculous hair who is obsessed with getting richer and richer?   

While traditional fairy tales undoubtedly have their place in children’s literature, this subversive and original collection tackles contemporary issues such as equal pay, knife crime, disability rights and fake news with great humour, intelligence and a fresh, exciting perspective. 

Presented as a sumptuous, hardback gift book and packed with strikingly witty and original illustrations, Fearless Fairy Tales, a total of 17 stories and rhymes,will be devoured enthusiastically by readers (both young and older) looking for fables that are relevant to the 21st century.  

About the illustrator

Rikin has a foundation degree from Camberwell College of Arts and a degree in illustration from the University of Westminster. After graduating, he worked as a production illustrator/creature designer, freelancing in the film industry, mainly working with monsters. He is a proud member of SCBWI-UK and has 300+ Spider-Man comics to his name. When Rikin isn’t drawing you’ll find him listening to the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, munching away at pizza whilst watching a movie, trying to talk to the birds and stray cats in his garden — or working at a primary school as a Year 6 learning support assistant.

His illustrations are predominately geared towards children from ages three up. The themes of his work revolve around friendships and dreams; he feels it’s very important for children to understand that dreams are something that can become a reality, no matter how big or small. Rikin lives in Wembley, London.

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