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Reading Beauty

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Reading Beauty
Written by Deborah Underwood
Illustrated by Meg Hunt
Chronicle Books LLC, 2019. Picture Book.

Princess Lex, who loves reading more than anything, is cursed by a fairy to get a paper cut at the age of 15, which will induce a deep sleep. To prevent this dastardly scenario, her parents take away any items that could bring the curse upon her, including her beloved books. Lex is not one to sit idly, so she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to find how to break the curse without true love's kiss, and bring books back to herself and the rest of the kingdom. In the process, Lex learns that the fairy who cursed her has a little secret problem that Lex just might be able to fix.

Underwood's rhyming text and empowering story work well with Hunt's splashy illustrations. Colorful and fun, the whole book is a wild ride and a fun take on a classic fairy tale. Not only does this book focus on girls being the heroines of their own stories, it also emphasizes the importance of reading and books in our lives.
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