William and the Witch’s Riddle by Shutta Crum (review)

Right away, this book shows its fairy-tale colors with a “once upon a time” and a reference to a pricked finger. This spinoff of “Sleeping Beauty” doesn’t start with the princess, however, but instead her son William, who is in a bind—he’s trying to protect his little brother, Pinch, but both of his parents are missing and now there’s a dangerous woman, Morga, who informs him he must solve riddles and return a lost spindle to her or she’ll take Pinch. William’s thrown into an adventure that is sometimes exciting but mostly terrifying, though he manages to gain powerful allies along the way. The happy ending is probable from the start, but there are some genuine perils as William dangerously angers Morga. Since the princess is already sleeping before the book starts, it’s understandable that she can’t be the star here, but it is a shame that once again she’s relegated to dozing until some male, in this case her older son, saves her. This is a minor quibble, however, and the book as a whole feels rich and timeless. William’s allies are nicely varied, and they encourage and guide rather than outright assist, allowing him room to grow in both confidence and ability. Older fans of fairy tales will likely appreciate this deeper look at a classic favorite. Final illustrations not seen.