Big Bad Raps; Royal Raps

Rhyming couplets abound in these snappy, hip-hop versions of well known fairy tales. Big Bad Raps sees four famous baddies given the ‘rap’ treatment: a giant, a troll and two wolves. A cool Little Miss Red, with sunshades and ghettoblaster, gets rid of the Big Bad Wolf thus: ‘“Hey, you there, John! Can I borrow your axe?” / And she gave that Wolfie three good whacks. / “That’s one from Gran and one from me / and one delivered entirely free.”’

Royal Raps concentrates on two longer stories, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘The Frog Princess’. Updated versions of fairy stories are not new in themselves but these rhythmic raps roll easily off the tongue. Mitton’s witty verse works well in tandem with Chatterton’s bold half-page black and white illustrations. Metamorphosis is not of the pumpkin-horse drawn carriage variety. ‘The rat turned chauffeur, the saucepan shone clean / and stretched itself into a long limousine.’ Proving romance is not dead, the events just before midnight are described as follows: ‘She danced with the Prince and her wish came true. / He smiled and he said, “Cindie baby, it’s you.” / They stopped for a burger and a bubbly drink, / When Cinderella’s digital began to twink.’

The books are neat. The books are cool. / They’ll be a hit in any school!