About

Liesl Shurtliff is the New York Times bestselling author of the (Fairly) True Tales series and the Time Castaways series. Her books have been named to over two dozen state award lists and have won many awards, including a Children’s Book Award from the International Literacy Association. When she writes, Liesl likes to wander back to her childhood and gather the magic that remains so she can share it with children everywhere. A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Liesl has called Chicago home for twenty years. She and her husband have four children who have inspired many characters in Liesl’s books, both hero and villain.

Featured Work

Rump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Rumpelstiltskin

2013
Rump

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone’s joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.

A Texas Bluebonnet finalist and winner of the ILA award for middle grade fiction, RUMP is perfect for fans of Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted or Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm. And don’t miss Liesl Shurtliff’s other fairy tale retellings: JACK: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk and RED: The True Story of Red Riding Hood.

“A fresh riff on the Grimm Brothers’ Rumpelstiltskin, told with wit from the impish point of view of the troublemaker himself.” —People

“Lighthearted and inventive, RUMP amusingly expands a classic tale.” —Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fablehaven.

Other Works

  • Time Castaways: The Forbidden Lock

    2020

  • Time Castaways: The Obsidian Compass

    2019

  • Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

    2018

  • Time Castaways: The Mona Lisa Key

    2018

  • Red: The (Fairly) True Tale of Red Riding Hood

    2016

  • Jack: The (Fairly) True Tale of Jack and the Beanstalk

    2015