For the readers and the crafty, here is my second last Gift Guide. Keep your eyes peeled for the last Gift Guide …it’s a ripper!
Disney Fiction
Twisted Tales by author Liz Braswell are aimed at readers 10+.
Once Upon a Dream is an alternate take on Sleeping Beauty – what if the sleeping beauty never woke up? With a dragon defeated, a slumbering princess in a castle and a prince poised to wake her, a fairy-tale ending seems certain. But when the prince falls asleep as his lips touch the fair maiden’s it’s clear that this fairy tale is far from over. After binding her soul to the curse, Maleficent now lives on through Princess Aurora’s dreams, controlling the princess and everyone asleep with her. For Aurora to break the curse, she must find a way to control her dreams and defeat the evil fairy within them. For only then can the sleeping beauty finally wake up and find her happy ever after. Experience the second title, Disney Once Upon a Dream: A Twisted Tale, in a thrilling series that puts a twist in much-loved tales, exploring what would happen if key turning points did not work out as planned.
In A Whole New World you’ll read a different take on Aladdin, which looks at what would have happened if Aladdin never found the lamp. This isn’t the story you already know. This is a story about power. About revolutionaries. About love. And about one moment changing everything…What if Aladdin had never found the lamp? The first in a thrilling series that puts a twist in much-loved tales, A Twisted Tale: A Whole New World explores what would happen if a key turning point in the story did not work out as planned. With Jafar in possession of the lamp and determined to break the laws of magic and gain control over love and death, the deposed Princess Jasmine and Aladdin must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion to stop the new power-mad ruler. But their fight for freedom soon grows costly, threatening to tear the kingdom apart.
A Frozen Heart by Author Elizabeth Rudnick is aimed at readers 10+. This is a prequel story to Frozen that tells the story of Anna and Hans. Love is an open door… be careful who steps inside. Anna is a princess of Arendelle. Locked away from the outside world for years, she is desperate to leave her lonely life behind. Her parents are gone, and her sister, Elsa – the only person who might show her love – is cold and distant. Hans is a prince of the Southern Isles. Thirteenth in line to the throne, Hans is desperate to escape the tyranny of his father and older brothers and find a kingdom of his own to rule. Their worlds collide at Elsa’s coronation. At first it seems as if all Anna’s dreams have come true. At last she has found someone to love! But as Hans’s true motivations are revealed, their fairy-tale romance begins to melt away and Anna discovers that love is a more mysterious – and powerful – force than she ever could have imagined.
Available at Target, Big W, Dymocks, Independent Book & Toy Retailers. Twisted Tales RRP $16.99 and A FrozenHeart RRP $14.99. For more information the entire range visit Parragon Books.
Australia: Illustrated
Australia Illustrated by Tania McCartney.
Australia. Big. Beautiful. Diverse. From the First People to washing lines and crocodiles, football and sunshine, koalas and akubras, skyscrapers and beaches that squeak, this 96-page picture book is a glorious tribute to this wide brown land and its rich and varied multicultural communities.
Whimsical, humorous, high in detail, and guaranteed to delight both children and adults, this is a portrait of Australia like you’ve never seen it before. Grab your snorkel. Let’s dive in!
Australia: Illustrated is available from www.ekbooks.org and wherever good books are sold. $29.99
Smiggle
Let’s get crafty with Smiggle!
If you love to make things then you will find a whole range of things at Smiggle. From decorating your own headphones or journal to making dreamcatchers and balloon animals.
Above: 1. DIY Balloon Animal Kit RRP $19.95, 2. DIY Headphones Kit RRP $29.95, 3. DIY Dream Catcher Kit RRP $22.95, 4. DIY Journal Kit RRP $36.95
Competition closed. Winners announced soon.
Win one of two Disney Fiction Twisted Tales.
I have two Twisted Tales from Disney Fiction to giveaway. There will be two lucky winners who will each receive one of these fantastic books.
To enter: Tell me in 25 words or less, in the comments below, which Disney story you would change and how you would change it? (You can also tell me which of the above Twisted Tales you would prefer to win)
Competition closes 12 December 2016. Find full T&C’s here.
Simon Hewitt
January 4, 2017 at 11:45 amJust received my book. Thanks again. Can’t wait to get reading!
Mummahh
January 6, 2017 at 10:39 amExcellent! Enjoy the book!
Michelle
December 12, 2016 at 6:40 pmI’d like Anna from Frozen to be more of a dork
Eva Kiraly
December 12, 2016 at 9:15 amI’d change Snow White and make the Wicked Witch change her ways, make her help everyone instead of being jealous!
Brenda Kapsley
December 10, 2016 at 8:36 pmcinderella but change it so its a step father and step brothers that end up having to fend for themselves as the female of the house gets to go off married to a prince that takes care of her love to win sleeping beauty
Sonya
December 9, 2016 at 8:24 pmI’d change Cinderella because it’s far too sugary pink
‘Barbie’esque for my liking!
Anastasia Xynos
December 8, 2016 at 7:17 pmHansel and Gretel would be live in the edible cottage and be raised by the old lady to become educated and independent. they would then return to their parents whom abandoned them and sflaunt their success and riches!
DIANA O
December 8, 2016 at 2:38 pmOooops, Once upon a dream if I’m lucky 😉
DIANA O
December 8, 2016 at 2:37 pmSleeping Beauty, rather than send her into one deep sleep, spell only broken by the kiss of her one true love, I’d give the poor girl narcolepsy. A whole new spin, turning the tale into a comedy……..for example, she meets her handsome Prince, he goes in for the most romantic of onscreen kisses, and the poor darling falls asleep.
Ern
December 8, 2016 at 2:31 pmSnow White & the Seven Dwarfs, I’d have Snowy fall for Grumpy and turn his frown upside down. They get married, build a cabin of their own next door to the one the 6 remaining Dwarfs live in, and have 6 babies, a Godchild for each of the single Dwarfs. (A Whole new world if I win please).
Sophie
December 8, 2016 at 7:18 amWhat if the beast wasn’t turned into a beast would he still have fallen in love with Belle.
Simon Hewitt
December 7, 2016 at 9:04 pmWhat if Hook defeated Pan? The lost boys all left Neverland! If no one clapped would tinkerbell die, would the darling children learn to fly?
Either prize would be a great read!
Sarahmary
December 6, 2016 at 7:09 amI can’t think of a single Disney movie i would change, because everything that happens, seems to happen for a reason. That being said, i think princess Jasmine would look gorgeous in Pink.
I would love A whole new world, please and thankyou.
Jen McKay
December 5, 2016 at 8:58 pmSnow White- the wicked witch would marry the Prince and rule the world.
(A Whole New World -please)
Viki Jurek
November 28, 2016 at 3:41 pmThe Little Mermaid, it would be interesting to see what would happen to Ariel if she didn’t get her voice back and Ursula married Eric!
Once Upon A Dream please 🙂
Natalie Murnane
November 22, 2016 at 3:10 pmAlice in Wonderland.. I’d like a second story where she falls through another tree and the Cheshire Cat IS the Mad Hatter… (would love A Whole New World)
Callie
November 20, 2016 at 9:01 pmThe Beast in Beauty and the Beast actually was a beast and Belle had to rescue the prince from the dungeons where he was kept prisoner. (A Whole New World please)
Ash McMorrow
November 20, 2016 at 5:45 pmI wish The Hunchback of Notre Dame was born a babe and married Esmeralda and they lived happily ever after! (Once upon a dream please).
Rachel
November 20, 2016 at 5:32 pmBambi. The story always made me cry. Bambi’s mother wouldn’t die. She’d raise Bambi and frown over his crazy antics growing up.
(Once Upon a Dream please)
Jeanie
November 20, 2016 at 3:04 pmSleeping Beauty with me as the beauty! She sleeps, wakes and never ages. I sleep and wake to more wrinkles and hair that’s more grey!
Once Upon a Dream please
Charl L.
November 19, 2016 at 8:53 pmWhat if Snow White,
Didn’t take that bite,
She throws it away,
Makes the Queen pay!
{ Once upon a dream please }
Aynur
November 19, 2016 at 8:13 pmPinocchio I would make sure his nose didn’t grow so long
Mummahh
November 20, 2016 at 2:41 pmHi Aynur, If you won which Book would you prefer?