Sleeper and the Spindle, The

The night before her wedding day, a young queen sets out on a quest to rescue a princess and her subjects in a nearby kingdom that has been struck with an enchantment – a sleeping sickness. The queen and her band of dwarfs bravely sets out on their mission and when they arrive in the princess’ tower, the queen kisses who she believes is the princess to wake her and break the enchantment, but has she kissed the right woman? The strong female protagonist defies expectations, both of the genre and of society. This twisted fairy tale, with its complex and detailed illustrations, will appeal to readers in grades 7-9. Suitable for independent study and a fractured fairy tale unit.