GRUMP: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
From the New York Times bestselling author of Rump, comes the true story behind another unlikely hero: a grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White’s feud with the wicked queen.
Ever since he was a dwarfling, Borlen (nicknamed “Grump”) has dreamed of visiting The Surface, so when opportunity knocks, he leaves his cavern home behind.
At first, life aboveground is a dream come true. Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.) is the best friend Grump always wanted, feeding him all the rubies he can eat and allowing him to rule at her side in exchange for magic and information. But as time goes on, Grump starts to suspect that Queen E.V.I.L. may not be as nice as she seems. . . .
When the queen commands him to carry out a horrible task against her stepdaughter Snow White, Grump is in over his head. He’s bound by magic to help the queen, but also to protect Snow White. As if that wasn’t stressful enough, the queen keeps bugging him for updates through her magic mirror! He’ll have to dig deep to find a way out of this pickle, and that’s enough to make any dwarf Grumpy indeed.
"Shurtliff excels at turning familiar worlds on their heads. The underground dwarf culture is wonderfully realized, and Grump's fascination with the Surface well drawn...Her Snow White is fresh, a little snotty but highly capable, with far more grit than her Prince. Together, Grump and the Princess are a welcome reminder that heroes needn't be perfect to get the job done." -The New York Times
“Hilarious and heartfelt . . . Lovable Borlen’s grumpy first-person narration explores themes of belonging, friendship, and doing the right thing. Sure to please fans of reimagined fairy tales.” —Kirkus
“A hilarious reimagining of its origin story with a wonderfully detailed world and interesting twists on classic characters. Sure to be a hit with fantasy fans looking for comedy.” —Booklist
“The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. . . .a sure hit for Shurtliff’s fans.” —School Library Journal
GRUMP is also available as an audiobook!
Listen to a clip by clicking on the image to the right, or check it out at any of the retailers below:
Praise for GRUMP
“Shurtliff’s fourth fractured fairy tale boasts the same intricate world-building, expansive character development, and rich imagery as her other novels. By shining the spotlight on a seemingly secondary character, Shurtliff explores the theme of how we assign value to people: being different can make you either an outcast or someone special. The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. . . .a sure hit for Shurtliff’s fans.”