Rumpelstiltskin

by Mac Barnett, Carson Ellis (Illustrator)

In the follow-up to the highly acclaimed, instant bestseller, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, comes the second ​brilliant and highly anticipated fairy tale retelling from the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Award-winning creators, Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis.Once upon a time there was a clever girl with a not-so-clever father. When her father claims she can spin straw into gold, the king forces the girl to perform this impossible task. She has no other choice than to accept a strange deal from a mysterious little man. But when he arrives and attempts to collect the debt, the fiendish trickster Rumpelstiltskin discovers that he is the one who has been tricked! This is the second in the groundbreaking new collection of masterfully retold fairy tales crafted by one of today's most celebrated and esteemed authors, Mac Barnett, paired with the stunning illustrations of the acclaimed and award-winning creator, Carson Ellis.With Barnett's signature pacing and wit, his subversive storytelling style and narrative voice, and Ellis's stunning folk-art style, this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin will introduce this classic story to a new generation of readers!

Genres: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Fantasy, Folklore, Fiction, Classics

48 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2026

About the author

Born to non-farmers in a California farming community, Mac Barnett now lives near San Francisco. He's on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center for students in Los Angeles, and he founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.

Reviews

[Celeste]

I found this arc in my little free library and may have actually shouted for joy because I have anticipated this release SO much....carson ellis is my favorite illustrator and I've loved what I've read of mac barnett's work. so I am coming in biased but in the spirit of this being an arc I will give an honest review and say....I loved it!!!! I will be going back through to look more closely at all the illustrations of course but some things that immediately stood out to me were: 1. the easter eggs in this list of names (illustration version) ("mac" and "carson" both show up, and "mario" and "luigi" are next to each other, as are "chad," "thad," and "brad," and "butt" is a listed name as well which I know a detail-oriented child will love) 2. the way that the baby prince tom is allowed to be dirty and the queen gets to embrace her forest roots at the end and 3. the ending drawing attention to the fact that we don't know the heroine's name, in a story all about names, in a version where we learn the names of the father, king, and baby — and then excusing it by saying "she asked me not to tell you." LOVE!

[Jeanne Zettel · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you not love anything by Mac Barnett!!!

[Ileana (The Tiniest Book Club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll get every book illustrated by @carsonellis for my shelf, till the end of time, that's for sure. For the retelling of the classic fairy tale "Rumpelstiltskin", Carson Ellis worked with her friend, author @macbarnett, who is fabulous, too. The two share a weakness for all things Tudor and celebrated their fascination with the English dynasty in this picture book.

The retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" seems pretty straightforward at first glance, but is peppered with Mac Barnett's hilarious sense of humor.

Carson Ellis knocked it out of the park with her illustrations which feel like gorgeous tapestries.
I love this work of art.

[Kristina Writes Wrongs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumpelstiltskin is written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Carson Ellis. I love it. Despite the threat posed by Rumpelstiltskin, the book is funny and I love the illustrations. Barnett follows the traditional storyline but brings in his own touch by simultaneously making Rumpie kind of scary and funny. I’m guessing kids will like it too. I don’t have much to say about it; just a weird adult fan of childrens’ picture books.

[GlitterWater79 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The core of the story was the same but it was told in such an entertaining way. I laughed multiple times, the narrative voice is so fun. The art style is not my personal fave aesthetic but it was really well executed and matched the Tudor style that inspired both the author and illustrator, per the jacket flap.

[Cail Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been on a kick of Mac's work, and Carson Ellis is absolutely at the top of her game here. You could make quilts out of some of these spreads. It looks like she did engravings or letter-press for some of the side-images. It's funny, a strong retelling and one that will connect with kids.

I was a little surprised they didn't go with something more obscure as a fairy tale, but they did something fresh with this classic. I read this while Silas was having some quiet time on the stairs. I'll try it on him tonight.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible retelling of this classic tale. I can't wait to share this one with kids. The illustrations and story are both just absolutely outstanding.

[Josephina · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.0 stars

[Nancycampbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great retelling. I love everything Mac Barnett does!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic retelling by Mac Barnett. Great prose to keep children and adults entertained. The illustrations add so much! One picture in particular was a very favorite of ours!

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you think you know that certain traditional tale, Barnett will flip it on its head and have the kids laughing like never before. This would be a great pairing with Zelinsky’s traditional version.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that, in general, I like Paul Zelinsky's artwork the best, but there is a lot of whimsy to enjoy in this version. I particularly like the black and white illustrations scattered throughout the story, and the angry dwarf. The illustrations suit the retelling, which is charmingly clever. So, five stars! Except, as I keep thinking about it, I go back to my first thought on seeing it--too dark. I guess I can appreciate the art of this book's creation, without really liking it. So, I deducted a star.

[Helen Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Christmas when my son, Harry was very young, I read him The Nutcracker. Because we somehow had two picture book versions of the story, I’d sometimes read one, sometimes the other. There were differences and we became interested in those differences, eventually turning each page in both books together and talking about what was different in the story. We called it a ‘difference book’.

So, when I saw that Mac Barnett has retold Rumpelstiltskin, illustrated by Carson Ellis, I thought, I can do a difference book! I used the Rumpelstiltskin retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. And there are differences!

For starters in Mac Barnett’s version, we find out more about the princess,

“Once upon a time,
a girl grew up in the woods,
climbing trees and whittling sticks and
catching tadpoles with her bare hands.”

In Paul O. Zelinsky’s retelling we only hear that,

“Once there was a poor miller who had a beautiful daughter.”

In general, the new Mac Barnett retelling is a lot funnier! The three days in which the princess has to guess the little man’s name although increasingly tense, are hilarious!

“Is it Tom? “ asked the Queen.
“What? No!” said the man.
“Or Thomas?”
“No! That’s the same name.”
“Too bad,” said the Queen. “That would have been easy.”

“The only difference in the story is that Mac Barnett has the queen herself, with her baby son, go out into the woods on the night before the third day. In the original Grimms and other retellings, the queen sends a servant into the woods to find the little man. When she goes herself she shows her son where she grew up and they see her father. But they don’t go in. It is, after all, her father who as Mac Barnett puts it, “was a nice enough guy but he had a big mouth,” who got her into this predicament!

The illustrations in both books are rich and detailed, but in the new version, the way Carson Ellis depicts the little man is all out great. That face when the queen guesses his name!

The new Rumpelstiltskin is a great addition to fairy tale retellings. It has a modern feel and is funny. It’s the one to introduce this story to young children. Or, you can make a difference book!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Our Weekend Is Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumpelstiltskin is a classic fairytale that many readers are familiar with, but Mac Barnett has teamed up with illustrator Carson Ellis to put a fresh, clever spin on the tale.

What I Liked: The premise stays true to the original version, but there is plenty of signature Barnett silliness sprinkled in. When the Queen needs to guess Rumpelstiltskin’s name, she comes up with some truly absurd guesses that will have readers giggling.

I also really liked that we get to see the Queen’s personality before the drama even starts. Instead of being a typical "damsel in distress," she’s introduced as a capable girl who loves nature and is perfectly happy catching frogs and exploring the woods on her own.

The artwork by Carson Ellis is a standout. The illustrations feel like they belong in a fairytale from long ago; the color choices are dark, muted, and somber, which fits the original "Grimm" vibe perfectly. Because the art looks so serious and "old-school," the silly parts of the story stand out even more.

This is a must-read for fans of Mac Barnett or anyone who appreciates a retelling with a bit of dark humor.

This review first appeared on YA Books Central and can be found here: https://yabookscentral.com/rumpelstil...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as delightful as the original fairy tale, one of my childhood favorites, but with plenty of humor and clever additions, including a long, long, long list of unlikely names for Rumpelstiltskin guessed by the queen, and excellent building of suspense, this picture book [3.5 for me!] may have the happy result of rekindling interest in folktales and fairy tales. The closing line is simply perfect. Supported by intense, moody gouache illustrations, the text is as smooth as butter, reminding fans of folktales just how powerful the oral tradition remains. The double-page spread featuring Rumpelstiltskin's rage at being outsmarted by the queen will amuse young readers. (Sidenote: I always wonder why any woman would want to be married to a king so cruel as to threaten her with death if she fails to complete an impossible task. Yes, food for thought, indeed!) The would-be queen seemed perfectly happy, wading in the river and catching frogs before the life-changing event that took her to the palace.

[Cassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was super excited for this book, but it fell a bit flat for me. I really thought that Barnett would put a more modern spin on the fairy tale. 3 Billy Goats Gruff felt more contemporary, and the writing was just outstanding. It was just a ton of fun to read out loud.

The best thing about this book is the illustrations imho so far. Maya spent quite a bit of time earlier in the evening looking at it, and it made her think of The House of Madam M, by Clotilde Perrin and she dug it out of the bookshelf unprompted( it’s a must to check out Inside the Villains too) which is like a feast for my soul.

She stayed awake for the whole book and she was definitely listening, but she didn’t laugh and neither did I. We will have to see how it resonated with Maya, now that we’ve read it. If she wants to read it 10 more times that’ll definitely move it up to a 4. I’ll still buy every single Mac Barnett book sight unseen for both my kiddos.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Once upon a time, a girl grew up in the woods, climbing trees and whittling sticks and catching tadpoles with her bare hands. Her father, a poor miller, was a nice enough guy, but he had a big mouth. He told wild stories and bragged all the time. Here, I'll give you an example.

Premise/plot: Mac Barnett has retold the story of Rumpelstiltskin. It has been a while since I read the original, but, it seems traditional and not that much of a variation.

My thoughts: This one is definitely text-heavy. That isn't bad. It just means it's probably best suited for older readers or younger readers with long attention spans. I know some elementary grades do a folk tale and/or fairy tale unit, this one would fit nicely with that. The illustrations are probably what makes this one stand out from other variations. I'm not sure if I love the illustrations? But they are certainly interesting.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis's illustrations and Barnett's retelling combine lovingly to tell the Rumpelstiltskin tale about a girl who is given over to the king because her dad claims she can weave straw into gold. But a little man visits her and does the task without asking too much of her until she has nothing more to give having married the king and given him a child she must now identify his name or else risk giving up her child.

The flat palette of colors gives a sense of time and place and the story itself doesn't hide in easy vocabulary but tells the tale in a way that is fitting. Barnett for the win again.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of Mac Barnett’s The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and this follow-up is just as brilliant. Barnett, who is usually paired with Jon Klassen, shines here with his signature wit and subversive storytelling in this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, where cleverness and trickery collide in a story that feels fresh and alive.

Carson Ellis’s illustrations are simply stunning, full of folk-art charm that brings the characters and world to vivid life.

This is the kind of book you will treasure on your shelf long after your kids have grown up, a story that delights every time you return to it.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book a few times. First pass through, this was more of a three star for me. This is a good picture book, but it's not doing anything too exciting for me. Third pass through, I still don't think this book is doing anything too exciting. But this is a really well designed book, that feels like a traditional picture book. My biggest complaint first read was how brown I remember this book feeling (I'm very tired of brown picture books) but after a couple close read I think it's mostly the cover that makes me think brown. There are some nicely saturated colors in the medieval inspired illustrations inside. Still, a shocking lack of gold in a book about, ya know, gold.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rumplestiltskin retold by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis. PICTURE BOOK. Orchard (Scholastic), 2026. $20. 9781338673852
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SOME
Barnett adds a bit of a modern feel to the classic tale and shortens it a bit, but refrains from completely modernizing it. He does change the detail of how Rumplestilskin’s name is discovered, perhaps to give the Queen character some power? I didn’t feel as if the power of the story changed - not enough for me to buy another copy of the story, unless I need a new one for some reason.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun re-telling of this Grimm Brothers fairy tale. I appreciated the little twist at the end. The queen's lists of names when trying to guess Rumpelstiltskin are amusing.

Some re-tellings / modernizations of fairy tales leave me cold because they often miss the magic or point of the tales, but Mac Barnett's version is a true retelling with no deviations from the heart of the story. Carson Ellis's illustrations are direct and easily accessible. They feel contemporary but not without nods to vintage Nonny Hogrogian, Adrienne Adams and other modern picture book illustrators.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Praise be, much better than the new Future Book, but not as successful as 3 Billy Goats (but I'm mixing Barnett and Klassen in my mind, so corrections to come). The random asides are the most fun read for me, but how will those work with its true audience. Stay tuned.
(Also a factor is if any of the littles know any other version of Rumpelstiltskin. It has been happening more and more that "fractured" tales don't work in classrooms and story times because today's kids don't know the originals.)

[MrsK Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

How would you find the name of the little man who would come to claim your sweet baby boy? Would you make a list of names that you know? Would you check every book you own for the names that match the fear of failure? Even though you might know this tale... it might be time for you to revisit this tale of greed, fear, and perseverance. The narration is whimsical and entertaining!

Crafted and woven with the joy of a friendship... and the purpose of voices from years long, long ago...
MrsK

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be sure to read Mac's note at the beginning. It explains a bit about retelling fairy tales and the history of Rumpelstiltskin. He and Carson have accomplished a delightful reimagining. It sticks pretty close to the Grimm version but - there is a fun twist at the end.

Also peek under the dust jacket. The cover of the book is different. And note that one of the names the queen offers up is, indeed, Mac.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Zelinsky version of the story back when my children were young. So, the very different illustrations took me a moment to love. But I got there. The impishness of Barnett’s writing shines through especially when his own name is added to the list and by the surprise ending. His love of concise yet engaging story shines brightly too. I do wish Jon Klassen could have illustrated it like the Billy goats, but that isn’t this story’s story, so I will choose to love it at it is.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterwork all around. Barnett's informal, conversational tone with its droll asides and turns, meets glowing illustrations by Carson Ellis who, it seems to me, spent some time looking at Marc Simont's illustrations for The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber and happily so. The combination of black and white and deep color works so well. This is a terrific read aloud with emotional layers to unpack.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and cheeky update to the classic children's fairy tale, with exquisite watercolor and oil pastel illustrations. The RUMPLESTILTSKIN double page is a knockout! I particularly appreciated that the author included all sorts of names from many different cultures in the three lists of guesses. This would make a nice baby shower gift!

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrator has asides to the reader (of course, she couldn’t) when he told king she could spin straw to gold
Traditional storyline up until the very last line where cheeky narrator has the last laugh, so to speak.
Mix of full color spreads and B&W line drawings - love the pic where she guesses the name.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, amazing and perfect.

This telling and these just absolutely magnificent pictures turn the protagonist into an actual character: she whittles, loves the woods, has intelligent, sly, kind, caring expressions and not the dumb fear all over her face like in the execrable Paul Galdone version.