Fairest of Them All

March 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-In this sequel to Charmed, I'm Sure, Littman continues her theme of empowering young girls. This novel features Aria, the daughter of Sleeping Beauty, who has a passion for designing clothes. When a Couture Club forms at school, Aria desperately wants to join but knows her parents will not approve; their views on sharp objects are, understandably, harsh. Nevertheless, Aria and her friend successfully devise a plan to participate. When Aria's design is noticed by the casting director for the tween competition series Teen Couture, she continues adding to her list of lies. Even after pricking her finger on an enchanted needle that curses her with "Shakespeak," Aria has trouble being truthful with her parents. Many readers will relate to the dilemma of choosing between doing what they want and being honest. Popular slang and fun references keep this story lighthearted, but Littman also includes words such as subterfuge and vicariously, offering middle graders some challenging vocabulary and food for thought. She quotes Eleanor Roosevelt, encourages readers to be open-minded about new students from different backgrounds, and showcases the power of research. In the end, the characters learn a universal lesson: to find solutions, "maybe it starts with us...If we just paid more attention to one another's tales." VERDICT A delightful novel for fans of fairy tales, Project Runway, and tween drama.-Beth Parmer, New Albany Elementary Library, OH

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 3-6 If you've ever wondered how much of a helicopter mom Sleeping Beauty might become after her experience with a vengeful witch, look no further. Aria is tired of being smothered by her celebrity royal parents and wants nothing more than to be a fashion designer, which is a little bit difficult when she's not allowed to touch needles. So what's a girl to do but audition for a teen fashion contest TV show on the sly? As the lies pile up, Aria gets more and more entangled in a thorny briar patch of her own making. With reference to various fairy tales and more than a few princess movies, this breezy, funny novel is a must-read for any princess-loving kid. It's easy to love a princess book whose main character wants to be successful on her own merits, but mix in call-outs and allusions to well-loved stories, and this is a dream come true for fans of Shannon Hale's Princess Academy (2005) and Melissa de la Cruz's Isle of the Lost (2015).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)