In his children-s debut, Australian comedian Micallef mixes and matches classic fairy tale elements to create an interwoven trio of stories, which reconsider old favorites in new ways. -The Wolf and the Princess and the Trail of Crumbs,- for instance, blends -Snow White- with -Little Red Riding Hood- and -Hansel and Gretel,- while -The Fisherman and the Monkey and the Three Wishes,- casts a hapless fisherman in the role of wish-granter to an ambitious monkey. -The Magic Beans and the Peddler-s Wife- sees -Jack and the Beanstalk- merged with several tailor-related stories, such as -The Emperor-s New Clothes.- There-s a tongue-in-cheek tone to the narrative: -Born of hysteria, hallucinogenic toadstools, and outright lies, a folklore grew like Topsy about the forest and these stories were told and retold in endless variations,- the introduction claims. Young audiences will appreciate the stories- clever playfulness, and adults will catch the occasional sly wink aimed at them. Bentley-s stylized, expressive black-and-white caricatures with red accents bring the characters and situations to life. This is bound to appeal to fairy tale fans of all ages. Ages 7-9. (Apr.)