A retelling of The Princess and the Pea couched in the traditions of Norse Myths and fairy kings and changelings. There were some fun twists involved, too. ( )

Lilia decides to find out who she really is after her nasty stepmother plots to have her marry the gross miller. Together with her friends Kai and Karina they head north to where there are people who look like Lilia. On the way, Kai gets trapped by the Elf King and Lilia promises to return with a rare jewel that is housed in a nearby castle. Will they find the jewel? Will they free Kai? Will Lilia find out who she really is? And what does this have to do with the fairy tale, 'The Princess and the Pea'? ( )

The story blends the odd little creatures of Scandinavian folklore, such as the nisses, with the dreadful elegance of the Elf-King and Odin's Hunt. Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, with their emphasis on whimsy, humor, and always a hint of sorrow, make a perfect backdrop, weaving together all the very different folkloric elements. As an adult reader, some of the situations seem a little too easy - Lilia's inner royalty, Karina's sudden love. But it's easy to put that aside and bring out my inner 11 year old (at least for me) and enjoy the story for its delightful fairy tale quality, humor, and adventure. This is the perfect choice for 9 -12 girls looking for a little innocent romance and a good dose of fairy tale fantasy with some smart and realistic female heroines.

Verdict: A must for your fairy tale retellings in the juvenile area. Especially recommended because it's a readable length and has a lot of different elements to please a variety of readers.

ISBN: 9780061825019; Published February 1, 2011; ARC provided by HarperCollins at my request; Purchased for the library.

When Lilia hears her adoptive father and stepmother planning to send her as a servant to the cruel miller's household, she chooses instead to run away to the north, in the hopes of discovering where she came from when she was floated down the river in a basket as a baby. Before she gets beyond the nearest town, she is joined by her adoptive brother and sister and their sheepdog. The three decide to continue on their way north, but they must face many dangers on the way, including the risk of enchantment as they travel through the forest where the Elf-King and his beautiful daughter live.

This retelling of "The Princess and the Pea" is well-paced, with good characterization and a few interesting twists on the original tale. Fans of fairy-tale retellings will welcome Zahler's newest work, and will look forward to what she has to offer in the future. ( )