1. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith
You might remember this one from childhood. It might have even been your first taste of cynical parodies. Face it! You're a curmudgeon because of a smart, well-written collection of re-imagined fairy tales. It's OK.
2. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
You know what Jane Austen's classic novel lacked? Brainlust. "Co-authored" by Jane herself, this modern parody combines the original Pride and Prejudice tale, and common zombie fiction tropes.
3. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters
Soon after Pride/Prejudice/Zombies came into our lives, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters quickly followed. Do you see a theme, here? Throw a little danger in the romance stew. Spice it up.
4. On the Bro'd by Mike Lacher
As advertised on the book's Tumblr, this book is "Every sentence of Jack Kerouac's On the Road, retold for bros." Do with that what you will. Weep, rejoice, whatever.
5. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
A modern take on the classic Cinderella tale we all know and love - this story follows the story from the perspective of those busted stepsisters. Turns out, the sisters aren't a couple of heartless shrews, and Cinderella isn't the helpless victim everyone thinks she is.
6. A Monster's Notes by Laurie Sheck
In A Monster's Notes, we have the unique perspective of learning what would go down if Mary Shelley actually met Frankenstein's monster.
7. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Y'all remember Penelope? No? She was Odysseus' wife. Her name has become synonymous with "faithful," because she fought off something like 108 suitors when Odysseus took a quick 20-year jaunt to fight in the Trojan War. And now, finally, we get to hear her perspective.
8. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
You've heard of the mega-hit Broadway show, Wicked. Well, the novel it's based off of is just a tad different from the show and book. A bit darker. Either way, it takes a sympathetic stance on the life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Or Elphaba, rather.
9. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two minor characters in Shakespeare's classic play, Hamlet. But in this re-imagining, they are the main players. Hamlet plays a very small role in this play, and to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, his actions are completely nonsensical. Which, when you think about it, is a hilarious concept.
10. Fool by Christopher Moore
Ever wonder what the jester's name in Shakespeare's King Lear was? Well, it was Pocket. Ever wonder what his thoughts were, concerning the nasty business that went down in King Lear? Here's a book you'd probably enjoy.
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