Ten YA Retellings of Snow White

By Lilian Calix
March 27, 2015
Hamilton Grange Library

You know that romantic tale of a young woman who runs away to the woods to escape a wicked Queen. Here are several retellings of the fairy tale that appeal to modern day teens.

Nameless by Lili St. Crow "When sixteen-year-old Camille, the adopted heiress of Enrico Vultusino who is head of the families that rule the magic ridden New Haven, meets the mysterious Tor, she begins to uncover the secrets of her past."

Fairestby Marissa Meyer is an untold story about Queen Levana.

Winterby Marissa Meyer  “When Princess Winter was thirteen, the rumor around the Lunar court was that her glamour would soon be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. In a fit of jealousy, Levana disfigured Winter. Four years later, Winter has sworn off the use of her glamour altogether. Despite her scars, Winter’s natural beauty, her grace, and her gentleness are winning admiration from the Lunar people that no amount of mind-control could achieve. Winter despises her stepmother, but has never dreamed of standing up to her. That is, until she realizes that she may be the only one with the power to confront the queen. Can Cinder, Prince Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Thorne, Princess Winter, and the palace guard Jacin find their happily ever afters? Fans will LOVE this amazing conclusion to the series.”

Tear You Apartby Sarah Cross. "Teenager Viv, who is constantly escaping her "Snow White" fairy-tale curse, meets the prince who is supposed to save her, but can not fall out of love with the young man destined to kill her."

Snow White & the Huntsman by Lily Blake. The wicked Queen sends a huntsman to kill snow white. The huntsman becomes friends with Snow White and trains her in the art of war. The Snow White & the Huntsman film is also available on DVD.

The movie Sydney White is the story of a tomboy named who is kicked out of the best sorority in her college campus by the popular girls. Sydney ends up moving in with seven guys who help her stand up for the outcast and regain her spot in the best sorority on campus.

The film Mirror Mirror tells the story of an exiled princess who with the help of seven rebels fights the regain the throne.

Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis is a futuristic retelling of Snow White set in space. Seventeen-year-old Essie is mechanic who repairs robots and drones on a frozen planet called Thanda. Essie meets a mysterious guy named Dane when his ship crashes near her home.

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. "In Ayortha, singing and beauty are prized above all else. Aza, a commoner, can sing, and Queen Ivi is a beauty. The queen forces Aza to use her voice to deceive the entire court."

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen "Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler."