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Wild Swans retold by Xanthe Gresham Knight

Title: Wild Swans

Retold By: Xanthe Gresham Knight Illustrated by Charlotte Gastaut

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Genre: MG Fairytale Retelling

Pages: 48

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Young Eliza and her eleven brothers' lives are transformed when a plague ravages the Kingdom of the North and kills their mother, the Queen. When their father remarries, their brilliant and "unusual" new stepmother becomes obsessed with finding a cure for the plague and protecting her new family - so obsessed that she decides to turn the boys into swans so they can fly away from the plague, and to send Eliza to a far-away village the plague hasn't touched. Years later, the Queen discovers a cure for the plague just before she dies from it herself. With the kingdom in chaos, it's up to teenaged Eliza to find her brothers, break the Queen's spell on them, return home to cure the plague - and claim her rightful place in the kingdom!

Such a gorgeous slim retelling of the 12 Swans fairy tale. The writing is great and the retelling bit was entertaining and engaging. But the real star here is the illustrations. Gastaut pairs the text with gilded images rich in detail and whimsy. I was entranced with the illustrations and had to wrench myself away from those to continue reading the text. A lovely few minutes spent on this volume.

Next up on the TBR pile:

swept away.jpg jujutsu11.jpg liminal.jpg jujutsu12.jpg enchantra.jpg water moon.jpg uzumaki.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg black paradox.jpg tombs.jpg gyo.jpg soichi.jpg book of the most.jpg great big.jpg jujutsu13.jpg jujutsu14.jpg jujutsu15.jpg seoulmates.jpg twisted1.jpg lore7.jpg jujutsu16.jpg twisted2.jpg twisted3.jpg twisted4.jpg
tags: Xanthe Gresham Knight, Charlotte Gastaut, middle grade, Fairytale Retellings, fairy tale stories, 5 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 03.13.22
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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