Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Fairy Tales Audiobook, by Gregory Maguire Play Audiobook Sample

Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Fairy Tales Audiobook

Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Fairy Tales Audiobook, by Gregory Maguire Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Gregory Maguire Publisher: HarperCollins Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 2.17 hours at 1.5x Speed 1.63 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: November 2004 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780060818418

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

18

Longest Chapter Length:

16:22 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

25 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

10:35 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

19

Other Audiobooks Written by Gregory Maguire: > View All...

Publisher Description

Who better to wreak havoc with eight beloved fairy tales than Gregory Maguire, the brilliant, funny, and nationally best-selling author of the adult novel Wicked as well as the hilarious middle-grade series The Hamlet Chronicles.

Zany animals of all species run through these fractured tales with alarming speed and dexterity. Who would have thought that the ageless, exquisite Cinderella could be recast as the silly story of an enormous yet lovable elephant who plods along to the ball with glass pie plates on her feet; or that Sleeping Beauty, that most regal of all fairy tales, could be twisted into the story of a frog with a most unusual and promising dance career? Get ready to meet a gorilla queen and a psycho chimp, seven giant giraffes, and one very bad walrus.

Download and start listening now!

"What delightful little takes of classic fairy tales with animals as the main characters! I like the tongue-in-cheek humor throughout all the stories, and think that my youngest will like these stories as well. I may even have to purchase a copy for our home library to have another bedtime storybook!"

— Liz (4 out of 5 stars)

Leaping Beauty Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.46341463414634 out of 53.46341463414634 out of 53.46341463414634 out of 53.46341463414634 out of 53.46341463414634 out of 5 (3.46)
5 Stars: 7
4 Stars: 13
3 Stars: 14
2 Stars: 6
1 Stars: 1
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Very funny! :3 a 'must-read', quote the New York Times. "

    — Lulu, 2/18/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This was a cute book of short stories. I'm normally not in to the short story but I will be reading this one to owen. It as Mcguire is, a different take on the standard stories. I enjoyed them yet they aren't something I'll need to read again until its time to read these to Owen. "

    — Becky, 2/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Great take on fairytales.Very well done and is funny, but also serious and firm. This book is holding onto a good handle. I really enjoyed it! "

    — Lkenner, 2/12/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Love the clever and unique style of Maguire. Easy to read to young children, one short episode/chapter at a time... "

    — Pauline, 2/7/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " By the author of "Wicked"- this book was a very clever, quick read redoing famous fairy tales. Laugh out loud funny at parts, I loved it! "

    — Crystal, 2/3/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I went to pick up books from the library for tutoring, and totally got this one for myself. Because I'm awesome enough to read kids books. "

    — Jamie, 2/2/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It was a cute book of new versions of fairy tales. It's billeted as a kids book but I'm not sure they would see some of the humor. Definitely best read in a quirky mood, as some of them can go from cute and funny to just stupid if you're in an unforgiving mood. "

    — Lori, 1/30/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Hilariously funny and very charming! I think this is one of the best books I've ever read. "

    — Audrey, 1/25/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Reading aloud to the kid. She really likes the stories, it has been a great way to pass time while waiting. "

    — Meadow, 1/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Maguire just always seems like he's trying too hard... "

    — Daisy, 12/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Strange and interesting and funny! "

    — Lee, 12/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " animal "fractured" fairy tales. very funny and entertaining! "

    — Sherry, 12/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I realize this has gotta be for kids, but it cracked me up. As others have said, the penguin story was the best. This was a kindle library book, but I'll be buying a hard copy. "

    — Amanda, 12/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Cute stories but some of parts were way over the top. "

    — Lynlee4, 11/2/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Some of these reimaginings of fairy tales are cute, but they're definitely for kids. "

    — Dawn, 10/31/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading these short fairy tales. I laughed and even read one out loud to Travis. It was a fun read "

    — Emily, 10/8/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This just sort of fell into my hands just after seeing Wicked the musical in Dec. I had to read it. Great kid writing! FUN! "

    — Melinda, 9/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " A collection of fractured fairy tales by the author of Wicked. My favorite was Rumplesnakeskin. Silly, fun, and creative, but lacked the depth of other retellings. Maybe because all of the main characters were animals, but the stories just didn't speak to me that way that Donna Jo Napoli's do. "

    — Debbie, 9/22/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " A funny twist to old Fairy Tales! "

    — Karen, 8/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Cute, but a little too silly. A fun read though. I liked the section at the end that talked about the author. "

    — Ana, 4/28/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I thought this was a cute kids book with creative takes on various fairytales. It was fun to see stories that I loved growing up altered to wonderfully create a different version in which the characters are animals instead of humans or different animals from the originals. "

    — Erin, 11/12/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Gregory Maguire, of "Wicked" fame rewrites familiar fairy tales with humor that will be appreciated by kids of all ages. Wonderful word play. "

    — Linda, 7/25/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " My son loves this book. I can een get him to read it by himself! The stories are spun from different fairy tales that I remember reading as a child. Maguire just makes them better! "

    — Mandy, 6/30/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Very cute, creative, amusing twists on standard fairy tales. I found it as entertaining as my friend's 5-year-old did. "

    — Maura, 3/19/2012
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This book felt like a waste of time. I love fairy tale retellings, but this was just annoying. I didn't like the writing, and the stories were... not good. I am not a fan. Ugh... "

    — Ashley, 3/16/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Definitely a book for 8-12 year olds. I thought there would be a little bit of a "sick" Grimm Brothers twist but the stories are cute and I'll be able to read them as bedtime stories as the kids get older. "

    — Sara, 3/13/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This book is umm . . . it's ok. I liked it I mean it was ok. But don't buy it. It's not worth the money. Borrow it or go to the library but I don't know if I would recomend it. "

    — Kandy, 7/14/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " These we cute and some were laugh out loud funny but others were just plain weird. An interesting spin added by Maguire to put animals into fairy tales. "

    — Shelley, 6/23/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Great take on fairytales.Very well done and is funny, but also serious and firm. This book is holding onto a good handle. I really enjoyed it! "

    — Lkenner, 4/6/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " I'm not finishing this book. I was reading it with my daughter, but the stories got to be so negative and filled with rude words I just couldn't go on. I don't recomend this for a preschooler. "

    — Josephine, 4/1/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Don't bother. This book is pretty lame. The alterations Maguire makes to the stories is based primarily on punning the titles. These stories have zero depth. If you like his work, reread Stepsister or Wicked instead. "

    — Christina, 1/28/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Cute, but a little too silly. A fun read though. I liked the section at the end that talked about the author. "

    — Ana, 10/27/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I liked this collection of stories. Gregory Maguire is a great storyteller.. "

    — Jodie, 10/19/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " My son loves this book. I can een get him to read it by himself! The stories are spun from different fairy tales that I remember reading as a child. Maguire just makes them better! "

    — Mandy, 9/8/2010
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Not the most insightful parodies of classic fairy tales I've read, but perhaps the funniest. "

    — Cheryl, 6/28/2010
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Enjoyable spin on fairy tales and an easy read. "

    — Aurora, 6/20/2010
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Pretty forgettable and not quite as adorable and amusing as I expected. "

    — Sarah, 4/24/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I read this book a while ago but I still remember how much I loved it! "

    — iLove?, 3/27/2010
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I was slightly disappointed and bored by this one. I don't think it will be read to the non-existant kids. "

    — Betsy, 1/29/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " It has many stories in it that are really funny. This was a very enjoyable book and a quick read. "

    — Abigail, 1/19/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Gregory Maguire, of "Wicked" fame rewrites familiar fairy tales with humor that will be appreciated by kids of all ages. Wonderful word play. "

    — Linda, 1/14/2010

About Gregory Maguire

?Gregory Maguire is the New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Years series—Wicked, the basis for the Tony Award–winning Broadway musical, Son of a Witch, A Lion among Men, and Out of Oz—among several other novels. He has also written more than a dozen novels for children. His work for both adults and children has been published abroad in England, Ireland, and Australia, and various works have been purchased for translation into French, German, Danish, Dutch, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. The recipient of several awards and fellowships, he makes his home in Massachusetts.