Once Upon a Time...for a Meaningful Discussion. Do the fairy tales we hold dear send messages we find unsettling today? This two-volume collection pulls back the curtain on beloved bedtime classics to uncover what public assumptions they could silently nurture about gender, violence and power.

Volume 1 traces six iconic tales’ problematic roots in oral folklore and evolving messages across later literary adaptations. Analyse allusions in everything from Little Red Riding Hood to The Little Mermaid through a 21st-century feminist lens before Volume 2 selects thoughtfully transformed variants aimed at today’s young listeners.

Alongside examining the dissonance between fairy tales’ enchanting fantasy worlds and their inadvertent perpetuation of harmful stereotypes often taken for granted, cultural scholar Claire de Voyant provides discussion questions and writing prompts analysing embedded themes suitable for parents, educators and book clubs. Gain surprising context on the origins of famous fairy lore and their enduring influence on cultural attitudes over hot cocoa, then debate which elements to preserve or discard moving forward thoughtfully.

This provocative two-part edition promises no definitive answer but seeks to spur unflinchingly candid, nuanced and thoughtful dialogue reexamining iconic narratives. Just like characters in folklore wander The Dark Forest where perceptions shift, assessing cherished childhood canon with mature analysis helps loosen ingrained assumptions passed unwittingly through generations. Can we confront affectionately entrenched storytelling with constructive scrutiny while still sparking imagination? Let the lively debate begin.