The wide-awake princess by E.D. Baker
The wide-awake princess by E.D. Baker
Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 978 1408807576.
(Age 11+) The wide-awake princess can be described as a
magical journey
with
twists and turns on every page and it will make the reader think
twice
about the many fairytales they have read as younger children. This
novel is aimed at girls, aged 11+, who are independent readers but
adults alike will enjoy it too (I know I did). The author, E.D.
Baker,
incorporates a variety of fairytales, from Hansel and Gretel
to
Rapunzel, as we follow the story of Sleeping Beauty.
Our main character is Annie, the younger sister of Sleeping Beauty
(or
Gwendolyn as she is known in the text). She is the only one in her
land
who is not affected by magic - a handy gift to have as she and her
friend Liam search the lands for princes, hoping one of them will
have
the power to wake her sister and her kingdom from a deep sleep. It
was
a joy to read a story with a strong female lead who rescues the boys
rather than having to be rescued by them!
Annie and Liam invite many princes to come but who will be the one
whose kiss will wake Sleeping Beauty - spoiled Clarence, Digby who
spends too much time in the tavern or maybe Emilio who used to be a
frog? And what about Liam? It's only on this journey that Annie
starts to learn more about him. What is his secret and will it
affect
Annie forever? Could he be the one with the magical kiss?
Kylie Kempster