About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is beginning to ask deep questions about who they are and where they fit into a world that sometimes feels unfair. Gary D. Schmidt transforms the traditional Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale into a rich, lyrical journey about two boys, Dominic and Todo, who must solve a riddle to save their lives. Along the way, they encounter a banished queen and confront the weight of their own histories. This story beautifully handles themes of loneliness, identity, and the courage required to be loyal to a friend. It is an ideal choice for middle-schoolers (ages 10-14) who appreciate atmospheric storytelling and are ready to move beyond simple hero-villain tropes into more complex emotional territory. Parents will find it opens a door to discussing how our names and our pasts shape us, but do not necessarily define our future.
