Olly Owl: Fairy Tale Lawyer is a unique short story collection that seems targeted to children or middle grade readers, presenting fairy-tale characters going to court.

The six stories follow Olly Owl, one of the best lawyers in Fairy Tale Land. In each case, he proves his value by getting a fair deal for his clients, which include the widow of the wolf killed by the three little pigs, Frosty the Snowman, and Humpty Dumpty’s children. The stories often begin with clients seeking Olly’s help, but most focus on courtroom fights, with Olly cross-examining witnesses and pleading complex cases before a judge.

For example, Frosty comes to Olly because the warming weather has turned him into a “melting mess,” impeding his ability to fulfill his employment contract with Santa Claus. Santa sues Frosty for breach of contract, but Olly discovers it was Santa who broke the contract by not paying guaranteed sick days. Many of the cases are rooted in such real-world issues that lead to lawsuits.

An author’s note explains that these stories were inspired by a “Bring Your Child to Work Day” activity in her law office, where mock court cases with fairy-tale plaintiffs were presented. While the stories are charming, the technical jargon will be difficult for young readers to follow, and the subject matter is often too serious for children. For example, the opening story features the Seven Dwarfs, who have terminal lung disease (silicosis) caused by decades of inhaling mining dust. Their employer refuses restitution, first arguing that they are sick because Snow White is a bad housekeeper and then that the mining firm did not know the dangers of breathing in silica dust while mining and cannot be culpable. While the story might amuse adults, its appropriateness and accessibility for children is dubious.

From dark subject matter to complex legal concepts, word choices, and sentence structure, this collection misses the mark for young readers.

Also available as an ebook.