If there is one thing, though, that has emerged, both as a result of more inclusivity and as a result of fewer trends, it’s that there’s been a swell of YA retellings. These range from classics which have been retold and remixed for decades, as well as stories being re-sung which haven’t. There are more non-European fairytales emerging with fresh takes, as well as more books being gender and genre bent. 2021 has been flush with excellent YA retellings, including a number still slated to hit shelves before the year ends. In an era where too many publications race to share their “best of” lists first — some coming as soon as September of this year (sure, partly because of supply chain issues) — it’s worth remembering that October, November, and December, even if they’re “quieter” publishing months, still produce some outstanding reads. This roundup of new and recent YA retellings does not include the wave of YA Peter Pan retellings, worthy of their own moment of consideration. It’s also not an exhaustive roundup, so it’s likely one of your favorites or one that landed on The New York Times Best Sellers list isn’t included. These retellings range from fairytales to classic stories, with something for every kind of reader across a broad range of genres.
Recent and New YA Retellings
Need more great YA and/or retellings? Dig into these must-read queer fairytale retellings, as well as some great Jane Eyre retellings. In 1964 Houston, Evie and her friends are all “bad girls” with reputations. They run with boys, wear makeup, and break all of the rules they’re meant to follow. But when a girl from the “good side” of the tracks saves Evie from the unimaginable, she’s forced to rethink what it means to be a bad girl and what loyalty truly means. But when Miranda stumbles out of the Silence and meets Lena, she tells her about Gather, a city within the forest with magic. Miranda is on a search for someone who can wake the sleeping princess of Gather, who she believes holds the secret to liberating Gather from their tyrant leader. Miranda offers Lena a chance to break free from her own curse, so long as she helps find someone to wake the princess. Lena’s on it…but the more she discovers about Gather and Miranda, the more she sees she’s been lied to about her own past. Dive into a fantastical bisexual retelling of “The Sleeping Beauty”! That peasant is Evgenia, who is not happy about her lot in life. Her brother, a Red soldier, is in desperate need of a doctor, and she sells a wagon ride across the communist countryside to Anna to raise the funds. The girls, from opposing sides, learn on this trip how much they have in common, as well as what it means to survive. Tress lost her entire family in a terrible accident seven years prior. Her family has been well-respected, but following the accident, she’s been living with her grandfather at a place locals call the “White Trash Zoo” (it is a loose, loose interpretation of a zoo). Felicity, on the other hand, is at the top of the social ladder and has buried the truth of what happened the night Tress’s parents died. She was the other person in the car with them. Tress wants the truth, though, and she has a plan: A Halloween party, where she can invite Felicity, prying the truth from her as she slowly encloses her in a coal chute. …And there is a panther on the loose. This is a take on the Brothers Grimm stories. Lock, who shows up to Ciela’s school, has no recollection of the party, of Ciela, or what happened. He doesn’t know a shard of mirrored glass is causing him pain, and Ciela, who must hide what she knows, offers to help him reestablish his life — she knows who assaulted the both of them that night. Bri has a gift, where she can grow plants from nothing into something with a single touch. When her aunt dies and leaves her estate in the hands of Bri and her family, they decide to spend the summer there. She’s hoping to learn to contain her gift, but soon learns through the estate’s old apothecary and walled garden packed with deadly botanicals that her family’s magic is what can help solve the dark secrets of the land. Oh, and there’s a nefarious group coming after Bri, as they discover she has a pretty magical hand for creating elixirs, including one for immortality… Jerzie is dying to get the lead on Broadway’s Roman and Jewel, a diverse, hip hop take on Shakespeare’s classic. But instead, Cinny, a mega star, lands the role. Jerzie finds herself falling for Zeppelin Reid, playing the role of Roman. It’s a bad idea, especially as Cinny is crushing hard, and when a video of Jerzie and Zeppelin goes viral, not only is their romance potentially going to ruins, but so, too, may go the role of Jewel for Cinny. She knows she needs to make amends in order to protect the other Mami Wata, but the boy she saved knows far more than he lets on, and now, her life is on the line not just because of her actions but because of the shadow following her. This is a West African twist on “The Little Mermaid,” and LOOK at that cover! With horror vibes akin to The Village, Craig’s story is a retelling of the folk classic “Rumpelstiltskin.” This funny read follows Luis Gonzalez who wants nothing more than to take his boyfriend to prom. He’s at a “progressive” school, but that’s just what they call themselves. Back when his parents went to the school, something happened to a queer student at prom that led to LGBTQ+ students feeling unsafe to be themselves at the celebration. So when Luis is knocked on the head and travels back to 1985, he’s on a mission to help the queer boy Chaz who had his prom night turned to hell…and also discovers the truth behind his estranged father and the homophobic history of his school. This is a perfect read for fans of Pride and Prejudice retellings, as well as The Bachelor. Spears’s latest book is a close look at grief and mental illness, following Dane, whose mother has moved on after his father’s death. Dane’s not over it, though, especially because his mother’s new boyfriend and boyfriend’s son bully him; his father had been the only person to truly accept Dane for who he is. Dane’s also falling for a girl but isn’t sure if he’s brave enough to go for a relationship. This character-driven novel will especially speak to those who feel the whole world has moved on while they’re still trying to process tragedy (which may hit close to home for many of us…).
