Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirror

May 18, 2020
Filled with varied expressions of what it means to excel, culturally diverse fairy tale imaginings by Farrant (The Children of Castle Rock) pair with Corry’s naïf-style illustrations to present a series of episodic stories bound together by a single object. When an enchantress employs her magic mirror to discern, for her goddaughter’s benefit, the ways to become an “excellent princess,” the mirror—made pocket-size—visits young women in various locales and eras, all of whom are people who get things done. Princess Héloïse undertakes a forest quest to save her sickly sister, Princess Tica must decide how to handle a beloved crocodile, and Princess Abayome’s world is upended by her father’s new wife. From Russian royalty fallen on hard times to a young activist living in a concrete apartment building, each must identify what makes her unique and use those traits to overcome her obstacles. Joyful retellings of time-honored fairy tales to inspire and challenge a new generation. Ages 9–12.