The Wide-Awake Princess

by E. D. Baker

Overview

The first book in a new series by the author of The Frog Princess, a delightful re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty.

Princess Annie is frustratingly (and luckily) resistant to magic. When her sister Gwen pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie stays awake. Now it's up to Annie to find a prince to kiss her sister and break the spell. But who is her sister's true love? And what about Annie's own happily-ever-after? Annie travels through a fairy tale land filled with characters both familiar and new in this original adventure from the beloved author of The Tales of the Frog Princess.

Don't miss the rest of the Wide-Awake Princess series by E. D. Baker:

The Wide-Awake Princess

Unlocking the Spell

The Bravest Princess

Princess in Disguise

Princess between Worlds

The Princess and the Pearl

Princess before Dawn

And these other magical series:

Tales of the Frog Princess

The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker

More Than a Princess

Magic Animal Rescue

and more!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599906584
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/03/2012
Series:	The Wide-Awake Princess , #1
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	412,184
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 8.24(h) x 0.72(d)
Lexile:	890L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

E. D. Baker is the author of seven books in the Tales of the Wide-Awake Princess series, including The Wide-Awake Princess, Unlocking the Spell, The Bravest Princess, Princess in Disguise, Princess Between Worlds, The Princess and the Pearl, and Princess Before Dawn, as well as the Tales of the Frog Princess series, the Fairy-Tale Matchmaker series, the Magic Animal Rescue series, the More Than a Princess series, and other delightful books for young readers including Fairy Wings, Fairy Lies, and A Question of Magic. She lives with her family and their many animals in Maryland.

Visit talesofedbaker.com for special giveaways and to learn more about all of E.D. Baker's books!

Editorial Reviews

The Wide-Awake Princess is FUNNY....I am going to sell the absolute crap out of it in paperback; there won't be a girl who shops at our store who won't have this book....This book is a total romp and I love it to pieces and I can't wait to read it to my daughter someday. Sometimes when I like a book I just keep the galley, but this one? I'm buying it in hardcover.” —Melissa Posten, Puddin' Head Books, St. Louis

“A clever twist on a selection of fairy tales....The author ably joins the practitioners of the contemporary fairy tale, suggesting that those fairy tales and their happily-ever-afters are not always better than reality.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Humorous at times, this fractured fairy tale will be enjoyed by readers who like adventure with a touch of romance.” —School Library Journal

“Annie is an enjoyable, independent, and undaunted character, who uses wits and skills rather than spells in her endeavors... This blend of romance, suspense, magic, and humor offers an entertaining, peppy fractured fairy tale.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

Gr 5–8—When Annie is born, fairy Moonbeam passes a magic wand over her and proclaims that magic will have no effect on her. (This could be a curse or a blessing.) A spell was cast on her older sister, Princess Gwendolyn, at birth and now, for fear that she will prick her finger, all spinning wheels have been banned from the land. On her 16th birthday, one is secretly delivered, and the inevitable happens. The entire castle falls asleep except for Annie. It is up to her to find Prince Charming to awaken the sleeping beauty. Along the way she meets Hansel and Gretel, dancing fairies, Rapunzel, and a lumpy mattress. Each one of these embedded fairy tales has an enjoyable twist. Eventually she finds all the available princes in the land and sends them to the castle for the big event. Annie is a down-to-earth character who eventually learns that there was a plot to take over the kingdom. Readers will like this wrinkle in the action as well as the surprise kiss that eventually wakes Princess Gwendolyn. Humorous at times, this fractured fairy tale will be enjoyed by readers who like adventure with a touch of romance.—Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

School Library Journal

A clever twist on a selection of fairy tales from "Sleeping Beauty" to "Rapunzel" shines a realistic light on these classics, questioning whether magic is always a good thing. Princess Annabelle's older sister, Gwendolyn, is given the magical gift of beauty while Annie has been made impervious to magic of all kinds, a gift that proves to be quite valuable in the end, though Annie can't help but feel like the plain little sister next to Gwennie's overwhelming beauty. When the classic "sleeping beauty" curse is cast on Gwennie, Annie, along with Liam, a footman and friend, sets out on a journey into the forest to find the prince that will save the day. Not only does the spirited Annie save her family, she winds up discovering herself along the way. Baker's characters are intriguing, easy to relate to and entirely three-dimensional. While the plot may seem hectic at times, in the end readers will find that each character and plot twist has a purpose. The author ably joins the practitioners of the contemporary fairy tale, suggesting that those fairy tales and their happily-ever-afters are not always better than reality. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews