A Tale Dark & Grimm Books in Order

The A Tale Dark & Grimm books take familiar fairy-tale names and send them somewhere much stranger than the versions most readers remember. The series starts with Hansel and Gretel, who leave their own story and wander into a connected forest of Grimm tales full of witches, warlocks, dragons, devils, and adults who cannot always be trusted.

The old stories are allowed to stay dark here. Dangerous bargains have consequences, monsters can be genuinely frightening, and happy endings have to be earned. But the books are not grim in only one direction. A funny, talkative narrator keeps interrupting to warn readers about the gross parts, point out how ridiculous grown-ups can be, or invite them to think about what a character should do next.

In A Tale Dark & Grimm, Hansel and Gretel try to take control of lives that seem to have been mapped out for them. Their journey weaves together several classic tales while building one larger story about family, fear, and the kind of courage it takes to walk away from a bad situation.

In a Glass Grimmly shifts the focus to Jack and Jill. They enter a new set of stories inspired by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and other folklore, meeting strange royalty, giant plants, frightening creatures, and places where one careless choice can turn into a serious problem. The setting may change from book to book, but the question remains familiar: can these kids decide who they want to be when the world keeps giving them roles to play?

The final book, The Grimm Conclusion, follows Jorinda and Joringel through another knot of twisted tales. Characters and ideas from the earlier books return, making the trilogy feel connected without requiring readers to memorize every detail of every folk story.

These are fairy tales with teeth.

The series works especially well for readers who enjoy fantasy that is spooky, silly, and a little gruesome, but still cares about friendship and choice. The books do include scary images and peril, so they are best for readers comfortable with the darker side of traditional folklore. Start with A Tale Dark & Grimm, then continue with In a Glass Grimmly and The Grimm Conclusion for the full journey.