In this intergalactic retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Princess Lex controls her own destiny. She is an avid reader, but on her fifteenth birthday her parents hide all the books to prevent a fairy's curse: a death-like sleep from a paper cut. After a bleak spell without books, Lex vows to break the curse herself. Her dog, Prince, promptly sniffs out the hidden books, including How to Fly and How to Find a Fairy. They confront the fairy and discover it was all a misunderstanding, easily remedied. In a clever twist, the fairy falls victim to her own spell and is awoken by Prince's sloppy lick: "Oh, Prince loves everyone," Lex shrugs. Lushly colored cartoon illustrations transport readers to a dimension full of multi-hued aliens and humans, including a Black royal family. The strict rhyming quatrains limit the plot development and force some weak language choices, but despite the occasional flaw, the book will find many fans, especially among those looking for more titles with a multiethnic (or galactic) cast of characters.

PreS-Gr 2 Once upon a planetoid, Lex, a princess, loved to read until the day her books disappear. She learns that a fairy cursed her when she was born, and when she turns 15, she will get a paper cut that will put her in a deadly sleep. To save her books, Lex and her dog, Prince, go on an adventure to find the fairy who cursed her. The reason the fairy was angry soon comes to light, and Lex helps her fix her problem. This modern retake on "Sleeping Beauty" is an interstellar fairy tale that is vibrantly illustrated and fun to read-aloud. The rhyming text keeps the story lighthearted and lively. Lex is a brown-skinned protagonist and she and her Prince seem to jump off the page. The story shares a positive message about reading, helping others, and redemption. VERDICT A great one-on-one read for caregivers, and perfect for group sharing in a library or classroom setting. Maeve Dodds, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, NC