This week, we've been catching up with the latest lovely releases that have been sent through for the Madhouse Mini-testers to review. Top of the pile was The Fairytale Hairdresser and Sleeping Beauty, written by Abie Longstaff with illustrations by Lauren Beard, which instantly appealed because of the sparkly glitter detail on the front cover.
The book structure is slightly different to most other children's storybooks that we've read before in that it takes a well-known and well-loved fairy tale - Sleeping Beauty - and weaves a new tale of a landscape architect prince and a fairytale hairdresser with an overgrown garden around it. It's actually a great idea. We are first introduced to Kitty, the hairdresser, in her salon and discover her fantastical customers, including a group of miserable fairies. They end up being the narrators who explain the story of Sleeping Beauty that even the youngest readers will probably know and recognise. Kitty comes to the rescue, bringing the gardening prince to the sleeping princess, sorting out her garden on the way, and it all ends with the classic fairytale ending of the big royal wedding.
Juliette and Pierre both loved looking at the detailed illustrations and pointing things out. Pierre was particularly taken with the glitter on the bridal veil and Juliette loved recognising the wicked fairy's cellmates in prison (the big bad wolf from Little Red Riding Hood and the nasty witch from Hansel & Gretel). It's a lovely way of adding an extra level of interest and enjoyment to the old favourite fairy tales.
I was interested to learn that this is the third book in the series, following updated retellings of Cinderella and Rapunzel, so I'll definitely be looking out for those too.
star rating : 4.5/5
- Paperback: 32 pages
- Publisher: Red Fox (26 Sep 2013)
- ISBN-10: 178295080X
- ISBN-13: 978-1782950806
RRP : £5.99
Disclosure : We received a copy of the book in order to write an honest review.
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