WHO WILL KISS THE CROCODILE?

A snappy, rhyming retelling of “Sleeping Beauty.”

Princess Liss’ parents throw a ball for her first birthday, but they’ve left someone off the guest list, with the classic fairy-tale result: An angry fairy, with green wings and a purple dress, arrives uninvited and places a curse on the princess. In 15 years, Liss will bump her knee and die—and as an added twist, she will look like a crocodile until then. Another fairy, wearing a top hat and with orange wings, swoops in to modify the curse so the princess can be woken with a kiss. But who will kiss a crocodile, even a sleeping one? Three princes—two light-skinned, one Black—fight their way through the thorns but run screaming from Liss’ sharp teeth. Neighbors call Clare and Katarina, of the Fix-It Crew, to tend to the castle’s hedges. This tough duo are the ones to save the day, and Liss and her family celebrate with another ball. While Liss remains a passive character, this is a lively retelling. Every page bursts with bright color, and the rhyme scheme is a delight to read aloud. Princess Liss is light-skinned, her parents appear to be an interracial couple, and other characters are diverse in skin tone. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A fresh and fun fractured fairy tale.