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A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale #2
Troll Bridge
A wicked adventure—or deadly…trollble.
For sixteen-year-old harpist prodigy Moira, the annual Dairy Princess event in Vanderby is just another lame publicity "op." Moira a dairy princess? Get real. Twelve girls have been selected to have their likeness carved in butter and displayed on the Trollholm Bridge. It's a Vanderby State Fair tradition that has been going on for, like, ever.
As far as Moira is concerned, the sooner it's over with the butter—er—better.
About the same time and not far away, three brothers—members of the sensationally popular teen boy band The Griffsons—are in the middle of a much needed road trip to relax from the pressures of their latest tour.
In a flash, however, the kids are suddenly transported to a strange and mystical wilderness where they find themselves in the middle of a deadly tug-of-war struggle between a magical fox named Fossegrim and the monstrous troll Aenmarr of Austraegir. At the heart of the feud is a battle for possession of a mysterious magical fiddle—and an ancient compact between Trollholm and the outer world.
Whatever. All Moira cares about is that eleven of her fellow princesses have been enchanted into a slumber and Moira needs to figure out a way to awaken them…and get home.
Unfortunately for Moira and the Griffsons, nothing in Trollholm is as it seems. Finding a way out of Trollholm may be a lot more difficult than they think.
For sixteen-year-old harpist prodigy Moira, the annual Dairy Princess event in Vanderby is just another lame publicity "op." Moira a dairy princess? Get real. Twelve girls have been selected to have their likeness carved in butter and displayed on the Trollholm Bridge. It's a Vanderby State Fair tradition that has been going on for, like, ever.
As far as Moira is concerned, the sooner it's over with the butter—er—better.
About the same time and not far away, three brothers—members of the sensationally popular teen boy band The Griffsons—are in the middle of a much needed road trip to relax from the pressures of their latest tour.
In a flash, however, the kids are suddenly transported to a strange and mystical wilderness where they find themselves in the middle of a deadly tug-of-war struggle between a magical fox named Fossegrim and the monstrous troll Aenmarr of Austraegir. At the heart of the feud is a battle for possession of a mysterious magical fiddle—and an ancient compact between Trollholm and the outer world.
Whatever. All Moira cares about is that eleven of her fellow princesses have been enchanted into a slumber and Moira needs to figure out a way to awaken them…and get home.
Unfortunately for Moira and the Griffsons, nothing in Trollholm is as it seems. Finding a way out of Trollholm may be a lot more difficult than they think.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 25, 2006
3 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Jane Yolen
942 books3,200 followersJane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
November 1, 2008
In my opinion, a creative retelling of a fairy tale can cover a multitude of sins. This one combined elements of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" and "The Billy Goats Gruff." A clever idea, but there was a multitude of weaknesses--an abrubt ending, flat characters, and weak poetry (it was meant to be rock and roll lyrics so maybe it was meant to be weak). The writing really deserves no more than 2-3 stars, HOWEVER, when you include Dairy Princesses, mention of the Minnesota State Fair butter heads, and Lake Superior, I am forced to give it a four star rating. I enjoyed the idea behind the story and if it were rewritten with a stronger ending and more compelling characters, I could even give it five stars.
June 29, 2009
In this modern fairy tale, eleven state fair princesses are kidnapped by a large ugly troll, when a old convenant is broken between a Minnesotan town and its fabled monsters. It's up to one concert harpist and a boy band to rescue the girls, with the aid of a cunning fox. A unique story because it's written by a famous children's author AND a rock musician with music lyrics incorporated in the plot. I was a little disappointed by the ending, but it's executed pretty well (second book in the series after "Pay the Piper"). Combines the "The Three Billy Goat's Gruff" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" fairy tales.
October 17, 2014
This book was quite fun, mindless, but fun. I'm always curious about how author's treat fairy tales in this day and age, so this one did have my interest piqued from the start. However, the story itself is very light and on a surface level. It doesn't really dig beyond an entertaining surface to probe at any deep or dark mysteries of the world, but it was fun. And sometimes, fun is enough.
August 21, 2022
DNF I grabbed this only because I'm obsessed with trolls and thought I'd see how this author portrays them and the story sounded bizarre.
Unfortunately the main character put me off pretty immediately, she's very jaded and businesslike for 16 and I was soon sick of the musical references. I skimmed a bit and the writing wasn't grabbing me. I was happy to note the heroine was vegetarian though, that's always fun.
The trolls seemed more traditionally represented and researched than most authors,so that was nice, however they still had green skin, something no Scandinavian legends agree with.
Just didn't appeal to me.
Unfortunately the main character put me off pretty immediately, she's very jaded and businesslike for 16 and I was soon sick of the musical references. I skimmed a bit and the writing wasn't grabbing me. I was happy to note the heroine was vegetarian though, that's always fun.
The trolls seemed more traditionally represented and researched than most authors,so that was nice, however they still had green skin, something no Scandinavian legends agree with.
Just didn't appeal to me.
May 25, 2020
Bright flowing language, a few sparks of music (amid a lot of attempts) and a fair corkscrew at the end help redeem this. The characters are stereotypical cable-tv-for-tweens superstars-who-are-really-just-cool-kids-underneath who get on each other's nerves and prejudge each other in the usual ways. The trolls are entertaining, and their story (billy goats gruff) is the primary thread of the book, with the tenuous allusion to 12 Dancing Princesses (there are 12 of them, but that's about it) adding nothing to the story nor doing service to the homage.
March 27, 2025
Troll Bridge: A Rock ‘N’ Roll Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple. Jane Yolen is a pretty good YA author and Adam Stemple is her son so this joint venture just reeks of nepotism. And it’s awful. They tried to make this a series, it’s #2 of 2, so thank God that didn’t work out. It’s being returned to the library from whence it came
January 29, 2018
Great concepts (the dairy princesses and their butter statue) and interesting ideas (the troll families) but it just didn't quite hang together for me. But, hey, it's Jane Yolen, Jane Yolen could make readable fantasy out of wallpaper peeling.
May 2, 2022
A wonderful surprise. This short novel is a fun and quick read. I enjoyed the references to the classic fairy tales and how the music was woven throughout the story. Each of the characters had their own unique charm and I enjoyed the twists throughout the book.
March 22, 2020
As always I love Yolen. I forget sometimes how often music is a major point in her stories. This is another one that ties to music a lot.
April 22, 2020
When a troll kidnaps the Minnesota Dairy Princesses, a young classical violinist and a boy band must join forces to rescue them.
June 17, 2020
This one gets a nostalgia star for me. This is about the 3rd time Ive read it, and it's a comfort read by now. (I'm a bit surprised I don't already have it on GoodReads) It's flawed, but lovely.
December 8, 2022
Great retellings!!
March 7, 2017
For years tradition has allowed for the twelve Dairy Princesses to have their heads carved in butter and left on the bridge as a kind of sacrifice. Until this year, thus breaking the contract that kept the troll from taking humans from the bridge. A photo opportunity for the twelve princesses gives the troll the opportunity he's been looking for -- brides for his sons, and a snack for him!. Will Moira be able to free the other eleven captives? And what role will the three musician brothers play in the tale?
Entertaining tale for upper elementary school or lower middle school students.
Entertaining tale for upper elementary school or lower middle school students.
April 28, 2011
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.
) 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.
February 16, 2009
I dig fairy tales when they've got some bite to them. Trollbridge is a great example of this sort of thing, where the critters and situations aren't nice and clean. The original fairy tales are actually very dark, and this interpretation stays true to that. Without hearing too many graphic details, we're left with no doubt that the trolls have every intention of chopping up and eating the teens. The trolls and the fox are nicely handled, none of them being entirely good or entirely bad. They act on their own inhuman interests, which is really refreshing to see.
The kids themselves have very modern attitudes, with virtually no knowledge of the way the old fairy tales fall out. All they have with them is their wits and their varying musical abilities, and dubious help from Foss the fox.
The book itself is very short. I finished it only a few hours after first picking it up, and that time includes the many interruptions from my small herd of troublemakers at home. The story progresses at breakneck speed, and there were a few times I would have liked to see things slow down a little. Fast paced is nice, but the occasional lull would be a welcome change of pace. The book moved along so fast the ending felt more abrupt than it should have, because it was the first time the plot wasn't motoring along.
Moira and the three boys were likeable enough as heroes, although because of the length of the book, I didn't feel like I got to know any of them particularly well. They felt more like snapshots than full characters to me. Jakob, the youngest brother, was a very interesting character with a lot of potential, and I'm kind of sad he didn't get explored a little more thoroughly. The same could be said of the others, but he was my favourite pretty much from the beginning.
A lot of the book centres around music. Jakob and Moira are musical prodigies, and Erik and Galen have their own musical abilities, as well. Songs based on the adventures are liberally dispersed through the book, as a collection put together by the kids after the fact. Adam Stemple is a rock musician, and this is clear by the way the songs are written. Even without the accompanying music, the lyrics are well-written and worth glancing over. I'm not usually a fan of songs or poems stuck in the middle of my story, but these ones were worked in nicely, without feeling like the authors gratuitously stuck in some old poem written years earlier.
Overall, Trollbridge was a fun romp, and worth looking at if you're at all interested in fairy tales that don't follow the Disney rules of prettifying everything. And most importantly, for a YA novel, it's absolutely something I'd give to a teen or pre-teen. I'd even go so far as to say they'd find it entertaining and enlightening. I know I did.
The kids themselves have very modern attitudes, with virtually no knowledge of the way the old fairy tales fall out. All they have with them is their wits and their varying musical abilities, and dubious help from Foss the fox.
The book itself is very short. I finished it only a few hours after first picking it up, and that time includes the many interruptions from my small herd of troublemakers at home. The story progresses at breakneck speed, and there were a few times I would have liked to see things slow down a little. Fast paced is nice, but the occasional lull would be a welcome change of pace. The book moved along so fast the ending felt more abrupt than it should have, because it was the first time the plot wasn't motoring along.
Moira and the three boys were likeable enough as heroes, although because of the length of the book, I didn't feel like I got to know any of them particularly well. They felt more like snapshots than full characters to me. Jakob, the youngest brother, was a very interesting character with a lot of potential, and I'm kind of sad he didn't get explored a little more thoroughly. The same could be said of the others, but he was my favourite pretty much from the beginning.
A lot of the book centres around music. Jakob and Moira are musical prodigies, and Erik and Galen have their own musical abilities, as well. Songs based on the adventures are liberally dispersed through the book, as a collection put together by the kids after the fact. Adam Stemple is a rock musician, and this is clear by the way the songs are written. Even without the accompanying music, the lyrics are well-written and worth glancing over. I'm not usually a fan of songs or poems stuck in the middle of my story, but these ones were worked in nicely, without feeling like the authors gratuitously stuck in some old poem written years earlier.
Overall, Trollbridge was a fun romp, and worth looking at if you're at all interested in fairy tales that don't follow the Disney rules of prettifying everything. And most importantly, for a YA novel, it's absolutely something I'd give to a teen or pre-teen. I'd even go so far as to say they'd find it entertaining and enlightening. I know I did.
December 18, 2011
"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 Dinner
Long pig, sweet meat,
Strong swig, fleet treat,
I don't want to be hun up
For dinner.
Short tale, long death,
Quart ale, wrong breath,
I don't want to be hung up
For 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 chance
A great big meal or a real romance.
Slow boil, quick take,
Low oil, thick steak
I 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.
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 Dinner
Long pig, sweet meat,
Strong swig, fleet treat,
I don't want to be hun up
For dinner.
Short tale, long death,
Quart ale, wrong breath,
I don't want to be hung up
For 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 chance
A great big meal or a real romance.
Slow boil, quick take,
Low oil, thick steak
I 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.
August 24, 2008
When a centuries-long contract between a small town and a troll is inadvertently broken, a studious overachiever and a boy band on a short road trip find themselves kidnapped by trolls and caught in the middle of a feud they do not understand. The book dubs itself a "rock n' roll fairy tale" and while this tag might not feel entirely accurate, the book definitely delivers on the fun you might expect from something with this descriptor. This fast and entertaining read manages to weave in quite a little bit of fairy tale, mythological, and musical references without bogging itself down in the slightest. Unlike what we've come to expect from Disneyesque variations and updates on tales, Yolen and Stemple are not afraid to depict the dark underbelly of these stories. As a result, what could be a very silly fluffy story is much meatier than you would expect. The humor of the situation can almost be taken for granted...expect little digs at the expense of popular musicians with questionable musical ability, small town politics, fairy tale conventions and the like, but while that in itself might be a bit predictable, the main characters are not. Just as the authors were willing to go dark with the story when they had to, they are just willing to show the not-so-pretty sides of their characters as well, and this pays off. I usually feel a little bit of dread when I selections of "poetry" or "songs" by the characters that are worked into a story because too often it adds up to a promise the author just isn't capable of delivering on. However in this case, the cooperation of an actual musician (Stemple) really makes all the difference. Though most of the songs don't really seem to have a rock feel exactly, even read the lyrics have such a good rhythm to them you feel like you want to hear them. Fairy tale sticklers can also rest easy because the authors take pains in their introduction to explain the background of the fairy tales they drew from.
June 4, 2010
[I like that Yolen and Stemple don't choose obvious fairy tales to retell. Makes you work a bit if you want to know more. The Griffson Brothers reminded me of the Jonas BRothers. Perhaps this simlarity would hook young readers?:]
Moira doesn’t want to be a Dairy Princess. She’d much rather play her harp. But her mother thinks being one of the twelve dairy princesses will increase her notoriety. Moira grits her teeth and bears the photo shoots and appearances until the day the princesses have a photo session on the Trollholm Bridge. The troll king kidnaps the girls. They will be wives for his sons. Only Moira escapes being drugged into a deep sleep. With the help of a mysterious fox, she hopes to free the other girls and return home.
Meanwhile, the Griffson Brothers (Galen, Erik, and Jakob) are on vacation from their life as teen pop singers. They find themselves in troll world as well. Not as wives, but as dinner. Jakob escapes his captors to join Moira in her plan to rescue the other girls and now his brothers. Will they succeed?
What I thought: I like the use of familiar fairy tales (Three Billy Goats Gruff and Twelve Dancing Princesses). However, Yolen and Stemple make their own original fairy tale with this book. For some reason, the Griffson Brother reminded me of the Jonas Brother. Moira and Jakob are likeable, creative characters. As always, the songs are great.
Moira doesn’t want to be a Dairy Princess. She’d much rather play her harp. But her mother thinks being one of the twelve dairy princesses will increase her notoriety. Moira grits her teeth and bears the photo shoots and appearances until the day the princesses have a photo session on the Trollholm Bridge. The troll king kidnaps the girls. They will be wives for his sons. Only Moira escapes being drugged into a deep sleep. With the help of a mysterious fox, she hopes to free the other girls and return home.
Meanwhile, the Griffson Brothers (Galen, Erik, and Jakob) are on vacation from their life as teen pop singers. They find themselves in troll world as well. Not as wives, but as dinner. Jakob escapes his captors to join Moira in her plan to rescue the other girls and now his brothers. Will they succeed?
What I thought: I like the use of familiar fairy tales (Three Billy Goats Gruff and Twelve Dancing Princesses). However, Yolen and Stemple make their own original fairy tale with this book. For some reason, the Griffson Brother reminded me of the Jonas Brother. Moira and Jakob are likeable, creative characters. As always, the songs are great.
May 20, 2010
Trollbridge: A Rock ‘N’ Roll Fairy Tale. By Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple. Starscape, 2006. 240 pages. $16.95.
As a follow up to Pay the Piper (2005), veteran storyteller Jane Yolen and musician son Adam Stemple put a musically modern spin on classic fairytales. Based on The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, this “rock ’n’ roll fairy tale” will entice teenage fantasy fans and rock enthusiasts. Sixteen-year-old harpist prodigy Moira has little time and patience for fulfilling her duties as one of twelve dairy princesses crowned annually in Vanderby, Minnesota. Circumstances worsen as she and the other girls are carried off by the giant troll, Aenmarr, who plans to turn the princesses into troll brides for his three sons. Music lyrics by Stemple are incorporated into the plot creating a unique story with a perfectly balanced blend of fantasy and reality. Although lacking in character depth, this witty adventure ends with an engaging turn of events that will leave readers on the edge of their chairs.
As a follow up to Pay the Piper (2005), veteran storyteller Jane Yolen and musician son Adam Stemple put a musically modern spin on classic fairytales. Based on The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, this “rock ’n’ roll fairy tale” will entice teenage fantasy fans and rock enthusiasts. Sixteen-year-old harpist prodigy Moira has little time and patience for fulfilling her duties as one of twelve dairy princesses crowned annually in Vanderby, Minnesota. Circumstances worsen as she and the other girls are carried off by the giant troll, Aenmarr, who plans to turn the princesses into troll brides for his three sons. Music lyrics by Stemple are incorporated into the plot creating a unique story with a perfectly balanced blend of fantasy and reality. Although lacking in character depth, this witty adventure ends with an engaging turn of events that will leave readers on the edge of their chairs.
September 16, 2011
Accomplished YA author Jane Yolen teamed up with her rock musician son Adam Stemple to write this novel and the one following, "Pay The Piper." I like these books because they combine reality and fantasy in an interesting blend, like Diana Wynne Jones does: life is not as mundane as it seems. In this book, a boys' rock band, a harp prodigy, and a court of beauty contestants end up in a land of trolls, the big scary kind that like to eat people. Some parts of the story would have been a bit too scary if not for the occasional lyrics posted at the beginning of the chapters that proved that our heroes would survive their trials to write about them! My favorite part was when the rock guitarist and the classical harpist (a teenage boy and girl) teamed up to play a magic fiddle: he fingered the chords and she manipulated the bow. Another great thing about this book is that it is a mere 200 or so pages... easy to finish in a few hours. Recommended for young people.
May 29, 2013
Trollbridge is a quirky collaboration between a mother/son team: author Jane Yolen and musician Adam Stemple.
An amalgamation of the fairytales "Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" (with a bit of Scandinavian folklore thrown in for good measure), it involves chapters that alternate between driven music protégée Moira Darr and trio of brothers Galen, Jakob and Erik Griffson, a burgeoning boy-band who have managed to wrangle a weekend away from their stage-managing parents. At different points each group arrives at a bridge in the small Minnesotan town of Vanderby: first Moira, who is among the annual Dairy Princesses chosen to have their likenesses carved into butter sculptures (a real Minnesota tradition) and then the Griffson brothers, enjoying the freedom from their overbearing father.... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
An amalgamation of the fairytales "Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" (with a bit of Scandinavian folklore thrown in for good measure), it involves chapters that alternate between driven music protégée Moira Darr and trio of brothers Galen, Jakob and Erik Griffson, a burgeoning boy-band who have managed to wrangle a weekend away from their stage-managing parents. At different points each group arrives at a bridge in the small Minnesotan town of Vanderby: first Moira, who is among the annual Dairy Princesses chosen to have their likenesses carved into butter sculptures (a real Minnesota tradition) and then the Griffson brothers, enjoying the freedom from their overbearing father.... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
May 9, 2010
This book is such a FAST read, I had this book done in two days!
I enjoyed it a lot...The Three Billy Goats Gruff was one of my most favorite stories growing up (quite the sick story to be a favorite of a young girl...but perhaps that explains my leaning toward horror, and maybe even my career choice as a CSI...he he) I have not read The Twelve Princesses, but I will be seeking it out, so I can see where it fits in. And with all the songs, I kind of wanted a CD to be with this book.
I used googlefu...check out the original tales (well, a few tellings of the original tales)
Three Billy Goats Gruff
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
I enjoyed it a lot...The Three Billy Goats Gruff was one of my most favorite stories growing up (quite the sick story to be a favorite of a young girl...but perhaps that explains my leaning toward horror, and maybe even my career choice as a CSI...he he) I have not read The Twelve Princesses, but I will be seeking it out, so I can see where it fits in. And with all the songs, I kind of wanted a CD to be with this book.
I used googlefu...check out the original tales (well, a few tellings of the original tales)
Three Billy Goats Gruff
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
August 15, 2012
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?
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?
July 14, 2014
I liked this one better than Pay the Piper A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale. They stand alone so it isn't necessary to read both.
This book reminded me of American Gods in that immigrants brought over their gods and monsters when they settled here.
This is definitely aimed at middle school grades. I would have liked a little more depth on the characters and more back ground on the fossegrim... but it has beauty queens and a boy band.
an enjoyable read.
This book reminded me of American Gods in that immigrants brought over their gods and monsters when they settled here.
This is definitely aimed at middle school grades. I would have liked a little more depth on the characters and more back ground on the fossegrim... but it has beauty queens and a boy band.
an enjoyable read.
July 1, 2011
Troll Bridge: A Rock'n' Roll Fairy Tale is a lively story steeped in music and fantasy. Set in the present and combining elements of Swedish and Norwegian mythology with "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," the plot keeps moving. The old stories presented in a modern context are whimsical enough to be their own fairy tale while gently pushing readers to consider their assumptions from another angle.
Song lyrics are included throughout the book and collected at the end.
Song lyrics are included throughout the book and collected at the end.
April 11, 2012
Okay, so I pulled this book off the library shelf because it looked insanely stupid. I was thinking: A rock and roll fairy tale? Give me a break! But, as I started to read it, I realized that it was written pretty well. I liked Moira, and the Griffson brothers entertained me. I guess what really got me interested was the fact that they based the story off of old legend and myth. The trolls were realistic, and Fossegrim was a real mythological character. I liked how it was based off of Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
All in all, it was a much more entertaining read than I thought it would be, and I didn't find myself picking it apart.
All in all, it was a much more entertaining read than I thought it would be, and I didn't find myself picking it apart.
July 1, 2013
Picked this up at the library solely based on the author, having enjoyed Yolen's Pit Dragon Chronicles, as well as her children's book, The Simple Prince, and wanting to taste more of her fare. I liked the book ok as a fairy tale but didn't really get into the characters all that deeply. Of course it is a short tale and wasn't meant, I don't think, to achieve long-lasting resonance in readers' minds, but at the same time that the story moved merrily along without too much emotional investment on my part, it was still a fun ride. I give Yolen and her son extra points for writing a book together. (And i realize this us their 2nd collaboration.) That may be the neatest part of all!
March 27, 2014
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.
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.
September 3, 2009
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.
August 26, 2016
I love fairy tale retellings, but this one was a bit meh. I found it in the YA section of the library, I would reshelve it in juvenile fiction. There is darkness, like any proper fairy tale, but it isn't felt. I wasn't worried for the characters, I didn't sympathize with them, I didn't care. The point of view is mostly from two characters, but beyond knowing more about them than any other person in the story, they are no more likeable or interesting. It's supposed to be a rock'n'roll retelling - where is it? Not in a boy band and not in an orchestra-trained harpist certainly.
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