Once upon a Dream: A Twisted Tale

Gr 7 Up—What if Sleeping Beauty never woke up? This work asks readers to rethink the classic Disney version. Prince Phillip throws his sword at the dragon version of Maleficent, but when he approaches the sleeping Princess Aurora and kisses her lips, he, too, succumbs to the sleeping curse. Meanwhile, Aurora is alive and living a normal life, or so she believes. Maleficent rescues the kingdom and princess from her neglectful parents, taking the crown for herself. When Aurora overhears a confession of truth from Maleficent, her world begins to crumble. She has been asleep this entire time. The world she thought was real has been a construct of her dreams. Her escape from the evil fairy's grasp leads her to Prince Phillip, who, in her dream world, becomes one of her few allies in her attempt to finally defeat Maleficent. The princess is the ultimate hero of her own fate. She is a strong, intelligent young woman who struggles to find and trust her own skills. Switching between the real and the dream worlds may confuse readers at first, but those who stick with the jumping narration will be rewarded with a fun, fast-paced adventure. Readers' possible confusion mimics Aurora's own grappling with reality vs. her dreams. Aurora finds her voice and becomes the queen she was born to be.