From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty

Christine Heppermann

Start date: May 14, 2015

Finish date: May 15, 2015

Why we're reading this: Heppermann repurposes fairy tales (as well as other pop culture media like commercials and magazines) to …more
[close] Heppermann repurposes fairy tales (as well as other pop culture media like commercials and magazines) to explore body image issues of interest to young adults. Particular emphasis on anorexia and gender norms. Very short, often darkly humorous poems coupled with black and white photos.

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What Members Thought

Nov 18, 2014 Meg rated it liked it

Shelves: library, female-pen, poetry, 2015

I would have loved this if I were thirteen years old, and I'm tempted to give it an additional star because I imagine tons of teenagers have thought this was the coolest - and it is a pretty cool book. And a pretty cool idea (feminist retellings of fairy tales in tiny little poems, with lots of lovely and dramatic photos throughout). I'm glad this was published and has received a decent amount of attention. Young girls definitely need someone calling out the bullshit. Also, note to self to rerea ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2015 alana rated it liked it

Shelves: poetry, young-adult, mental-health, 2015-read-harder

In Poisoned Apples, Heppermann repurposes fairy tales (as well as other pop culture media like commercials and magazines) to explore body image issues of interest to young adults. She puts particular emphasis on anorexia and gender norms. The very short poems are often darkly humorous, several making me laugh out loud. The poems are coupled with black and white photos submitted by a variety of photographers, so they don’t illustrate the poem so much as hope to echo the aura of it. I was expectin ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 15, 2014 Donna rated it really liked it

Shelves: teen, feminism, nonfiction, poetry, folk-tales

Favorite fairy and folk tales (think Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and The Princess and the Pea) are reworked into modern poems with a feminist bent. Instead of damsels distressed by wolves and rescued by princes, we see a collection of girls beset by eating disorders and abusive dates, and who occasionally sneak off for a little fun with Wolfie.

Short and not at all sweet, and accompanied by an intriguing collection of photographs.

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Apr 07, 2014 Renata rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, arc, ya, fantasy, feminism, poetry

Fantastic. Funny, clever, and cut-throat poetic retellings of fairy tales, with a bent toward deconstructing contemporary body image garbage.

Recommended for fans of Francesca Lia Block. ...more

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