For the past five and half years, I've shared a new review on the second Wednesday of every month, however, today is the last children's book review here at Bird Meets Worm. I have SO enjoyed sharing all these fantastic, funny, gorgeous books with you, and am planning to continue reviewing children's books, but in a way that gives more direct support to my fellow authors. I believe that my reviews will have a more meaningful and useful impact being posted directly to Goodreads and book retail platforms rather than here on the blog. I invite you follow me on Goodreads here!
That said, I am also retiring this lovely regular feature to make way for EXCITING new endeavors in the new year like a regular Story Time on IG Live and a new newsletter for children full of activities and reading fun, so please do stayed tuned...
In the meantime, happy holidays to all! And I hope you receive MANY, MANY books during your winter celebrations! Love, Jane
READING BEAUTY
Written by Deborah Underwood • Illustrated by Meg Hunt
Picture Book (ages 3-7) • 44 pages
Published by Chronicle Books • September 2019
ISBN: 978-1-452-17129-6
With gorgeous illustrations in a spacey purple palette, Reading Beauty is a modern, sci-fi retelling of the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty. The princess of the story is Lex, a bright humanoid-alien bibliophile, who, like Aurora, is cursed by an angry fairy at the celebration of her birth.
The curse destines book lover Lex to fall into a death-like sleep upon her fifteenth birthday, when it is foretold she will get a paper cut flipping a page in a book, rather than pricking her finger on a spindle. But as in the original tale, the princess’s parents fear the curse and banish the threatening object throughout the kingdom, in this case, books!
Saddened, Lex sees her world falling into darkness. But like any modern princess, she is determined to break the curse. With the help of her trusty pup, Prince, the cache of banished books is sniffed out, which proves to be Lex’s secret weapon. Using her beloved books, Lex outwits the angry fairy.
With a final surprise twist that delivers the perfect ending, Reading Beauty celebrates books, a love of reading and the connection it can bring.
Buy this Book:
Barnes & Noble
Independent Bookstores
Reviewed by: Jane Smith