FAIREST OF ALL

In this graphic adaptation of one of Mlynowski’s fairy-tale retellings, siblings help Snow White challenge her scheming stepmother.

When Abby and Jonah discover that the mirror in their basement is hissing, they’re quickly pulled into a swirling vortex. They find themselves in the middle of the woods. But it’s not just any forest—the siblings soon encounter a gruff, hooded figure heading straight for a cute little cabin, home to the fabled Snow White. After foiling the figure’s plot to poison the unsuspecting princess, Abby and Jonah befriend Snow White, who turns out to be tougher and much more self-determined than in most versions. The kids soon realize they need to stop the evil queen’s increasingly ridiculous plots to do away with her stepdaughter. But having steered the tale from its original trajectory, they also need to nudge Snow back toward her prince. Or do they? As with her original novel, Mlynowski playfully toys with the logistical and practical aspects of Snow’s familiar story. Chouhan’s big-eyed, sweet illustrations delight in the cartoon-worthy possibilities of the characters and scenarios the trio encounter, from a page peppered with speech bubbles from the loquacious band of dwarves to a scene in which our heroes contend with a moat filled with fierce, sharp-toothed crocodiles. Abby and Jonah are tan-skinned, Snow White is pale-skinned, and the supporting cast is diverse.

Comical and imaginative, a strong, specific spin on a familiar story.