Free-verse reveals true stories behind well-known fairy tales, some reset in modern times, as a strung-out match girl sells CDs to drug users, Little Red Riding Hood admits that she wanted to know what it is like to be swallowed whole, and Cinderella's stepsisters are duped.

The stepsisters -- Rapunzel : a story in five parts -- Thumbelina : the mole's story -- The little match girl -- Bearskin -- Twelve dancing princesses -- Memoirs of the beast -- Hansel and Gretel -- Godfather death -- The ugly duckling -- Diamonds and toads -- The frog prince -- The emperor's new clothes : an afterword -- The robber bridegroom -- Rumpelstiltskin -- The little, small, wee bear -- Bluebeard -- Little thumb -- Red Riding Hood, home at last, tells her mother what happened -- East of the sun and west of the moon -- The princess and the pea : a monologue -- The ogre queen -- Wolf.