Snoring Beauty
K-Gr 2—A mouse who lives within the walls of a castle is unable to fall asleep the night before his wedding due to the loud snoring coming from a princess nearby. A prince comes to kiss the beauty awake, but he is put off by her loud noises. The only way for Mouse to get some shut-eye is to kiss the princess himself. The story ends with a double wedding, and the brides and grooms all live happily ever after-except for the fact that Mrs. Mouse snores, too. Bright watercolor illustrations and expressive characters add a whimsical feel to this fairy-tale spin-off. Snoring sounds are even illustrated on some pages for comic emphasis. The layout fluctuates from single-page images with text opposite to full spreads, creating visual variety. Told in varied iambic meter that has a limerick feel, the text has an easy flow and perfect scansion, making it a good choice for reading aloud.—Emily E. Lazio, The Smithtown Special Library District, NY