The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker

The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker. Bloomsbury, 2010. 261p. (9781599904870)

I love retellings of fairy tales and this is a great example. Such a fun book! Not only is this a new twist on the story of Sleeping Beauty but we also meet characters from many other fairytales.

Book Flap Synopsis:

When Princess Gwen (otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty) pricks her finger and sends herself and the whole castle to sleep for one hundred years, only her younger sister, Annie, is left awake. And only Annie – blessed (and cursed) with being resistant to magic – can venture beyond the rose-covered hedge to get help. She must find Gwen’s true love to kiss her awake.

But what about the one hundred years? And who is Gwen’s true love? Her irritating suitor, Digby? The happy-go-lucky prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn't possibly spell true love?

Joined by one of her father's guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family . . . and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

My Review:

Princess Annie is resistant to magic, which is a good thing when an entire castle falls into a magical sleep around you or when an evil witch tries to cast a spell on you. But it’s not a great thing if your family doesn’t like being near you because you negate the magic bestowed upon them. Nor is it good if you find yourself in the witch’s candy house and the gingerbread floor starts caving beneath you.

Gingerbread house by Julia M. 

Yes, Annie has a hand in rescuing Hansel and Gretel. She also meets the bear from Snow-White and Rose-Red, and discovers Rapunzel’s secret. And that’s just a few of the characters that E. D. Baker has woven into the story. But none of those characters’ stories are quite like the classic tales.

The story is fun and engaging and the characters unique. I laughed and grinned several times. If you enjoy fairy tales you’ll probably enjoy reading the story of The Wide-Awake Princess.

Go read it! Wake County; Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Barnes & Noble 

I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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