"You must open your mind to the world of the impossible," the fox said, "and then it becomes the world of the possible." (37)This is a unique blend of retellings: the Twelve Dancing Princess and the Three Billy Goats Gruff.First, there's Moira. Moira is a gifted classical violinist and one of the twelve dairy princesses. It took me a few seconds to figure out what the dairy princesses were exactly, and what I've determined is, they're like winners of some sort of beauty contest. Anywho, tradition tells us that after the twelve gals have been chosen, their head is carved into butter, forming a...butterhead, if you will, that gets offered up on this bridge to this backcountry town. But the new mayor decides that it's foolishness, and although the dairy queens will be molded in butter (they are DAIRY QUEENS, after all) they butterheads will remain refrigerated.(Please note, the bridge's name is Trollhom. Shouldn't the mayor been a wee bit worried?)Should have followed tradition, Mr. Mayor. Cuz, during the photo shoot on the bridge to the backcountry town, a big, nasty, and mean troll swooshes up all of the loverly maidens so that they might wed his beastly sons.Now, in all good fairy tales, we must have a rescue plan, yes? Enter our three handsome "princes" or, in this case the Griffons boys. The Griffons boys are the pop supreme boy band of the nation (I couldn't help myself, I kept imagining the Hanson brothers MmmmBOPing their way into the story). After much pleading and stomping of the foot, the boys are granted a reprieve from daily rockstar life and go on a road trip. Guess where they end up? Ayup. On Trollhom Bridge too. Where the big bad and ugly troll swoops the three bros up. Evidently rockstar heros are great simmered in a pot and Mr.Badass Troll is looking forward to chow down.I don't really remember reading the Twelve Dancing Princess, but I LOVED the Three Billy Goats Gruff as a child. Yolen and Stemple did a superb job recreating this fairy tale. There was a contemporary feel, a rockstar attitude, and a magical zest that kept me captivated.Oh, and because it was a rock 'n' roll fairy tale, there were plenty of songs to hum along to:Hung Up For DinnerLong pig, sweet meat,Strong swig, fleet treat,I don't want to be hun upFor dinner.Short tale, long death,Quart ale, wrong breath,I don't want to be hung upFor dinner.Give me a choice of meat or soy,Give me a choice of girl or boy,Give me a choice or give me a chanceA great big meal or a real romance.Slow boil, quick take,Low oil, thick steakI don't want to be hung up for,For dinner.Hot ice, cold drink,Caught twice, old stink,I don't want to be hung up,Over dinner.
I got both of Yolen/Stemple's "Rock and Roll Fairy Tale" books (the other is Pay the Piper) for $1 each, and was super excited because the concept and titles hooked me. Though I have yet to read Pay the Piper, Troll Bridge was a little disappointing. I mean, it was cute enough, and a quick read for sure, but it was just...shallow in the telling. It never really grabbed me enough to make me need to keep reading.I'm not entirely sure where the fault lies. Part of it, I think, is that it's definitely more middle grade, and I wasn't expecting that, and I don't know that my brain ever fully shifted over and altered expectations. I kept thinking that it would have been nice to have more development and depth, but that's partly because I was coming at it thinking it was aimed for an older audience. I think, too, that the musical elements, and the sort of poprock poetry/songs ala what I assume the Jonas Brothers write (and lord help me if my little sister ever reads this), felt forced at times, and where on occasion they were cute and bolstered the story, at other times, they just seemed unnecessary and a little silly. It's hard, because it's a part of the story, and it's really a crucial part at that, but it just didn't always feel natural. Part of me wonders if this was due to the attempted blending of Yolen's writing and Stemple's (her son). Books with multiple authors are writing a book and trying to make their combined writing seamless seem to struggle to me. (At least where each author isn't writing their own segments from a set POV. The blending just never seems to work for me.)But I did like Moira, who was a fun, plucky heroine, and I liked the brothers, and the predicaments they found themselves in. The fairy tale elements - both the tales that were woven in and the typical tropes found in fairy tales - were used in a fun way, and I don't consider the book a waste of my time. I was more ambivalent in the beginning, which was slightly rocky for me (but again, as I said, this could be due to the fact that I was expecting a YA read, not a MG); but as it went along and they found themselves deeper in the world of Trollholm, it became more readable and fun, and the ending, though a bit abrupt, was enjoyable. All in all, it was a quick, fun and silly read, though flawed and not entirely memorable.
What do You think about The Troll Bridge (2006)?
You wouldn’t think you could transform the billy goats gruff fairy tale into a contemporary teen fantasy, but Yolen and her cowriter prove that it can be done, and done creditably to produce a readable, if slightly weird, fantasy tale of dairy princesses kidnapped to be brides to a trio of particularly dumb trolls, with a rock ‘n’ roll brothers-boy band (the younger brother is the protagonist, of course) who come to their rescue. Fun, though a bit youngish. Positive and innocuous, though a bit gory in places.
—Sandra Strange
One of the biggest draws for me was that this book is set in Minnesota. I grew up across the bridge from Duluth and live in the Twin Cities, and I absolutely love books that are set in areas that are near and dear to my heart like that.I found the story very enjoyable, but the ending was a bit abrupt. I liked both Moira and Jakob and also really liked the troll women and children. The radio broadcasters were different, I liked the element of kind of keeping up with the story on the "outside." Overall, it was solid and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys small town settings in the Midwest, who enjoys modern retellings of fairytales and who enjoys YA/MG books.
—Amy
Woof! Number one, this was not rock 'n' roll. Quake and hurl? Maybe. These 12 butter princesses (real girls) of the town get kidnapped by a troll because the town broke tradition of leaving the actual butter princesses (butter) on the bridge. They are saved by the least girly, but smartest and musically talented princess and 3 guys from a boy band. They write terrible songs with terrible lyrics. Doom!I liked the idea of the original immigrants to the area bringing their superstitions with them to the new world and those superstitions' subjects getting stuck there. You got a taste of old stories and traditions - but with a lot of bad noise. I just couldn't get into it, and I really wanted to. Who wouldn't want to read a book about fairy tales and music?
—Jennifer H
