Published by Alfred A. Knopf (a division of Random House).
Illustrated by Lee Wildish.
2016
From Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
There is more to the tale of “Sleeping Beauty” than has been told through the centuries. William’s mother, Lirian, has been mysteriously gone for months. His father, Heldor, went for supplies days ago but did not return to their mountain home, leaving him alone with his little brother, Pinch. When Morga, the wicked, 13th witch of the familiar story, announces his father’s death and makes demands and threats, William is faced with a terrifying dilemma . . . The characters are fully developed and are completely believable within the rules set by the genre. There is humor, heartstopping action, magic of many sorts, and tender emotions of sacrifice, love, and loss . . . An exciting, neatly crafted adventure. (Fantasy. 8-12)
Booklist
William and his little brother, Pinch, are abandoned in the cold winter when their father leaves to search for their missing mother. Left alone, they run into trouble when La Grande Morga, the witch of the faery folk, comes to tell the boys of their father’s untimely death . . . Veteran author Crum is in fine form here, giving an adventure story that has just enough magic and scares to excite middle-grade readers. Morga is the quintessential wicked witch, and her story is woven into William’s, making this novel twisty and original. A fast-paced story excellent for adventure lovers
BCCB Reviews
Right away, this book shows its fairy-tale colors with a “once upon a time” and a reference to a pricked finger. This spinoff of “Sleeping Beauty” doesn’t start with the princess, however, but instead her son William, who is in a bind—he’s trying to protect his little brother, Pinch, but both of his parents are missing and now there’s a dangerous woman, Morga, who informs him he must solve riddles and return a lost spindle to her or she’ll take Pinch . . . William’s allies are nicely varied, and they encourage and guide rather than outright assist, allowing him room to grow in both confidence and ability. Older fans of fairy tales will likely appreciate this deeper look at a classic favorite.
School Library Journal
. . . The characters’ engaging, well-developed personalities easily pull readers into William’s world. . . . VERDICT This “Sleeping Beauty” retelling is a good addition for most middle grade collections.