CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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Spindle

by E. K. Johnston

CCBC Review:

At a celebration honoring young princess Zahrah, called Little Rose, a demon curses both her and her kingdom, vowing to possess the princess when she turns 18. Until then, any “making” that Little Rose does—anything creative— will better prepare her mind for the demon’s possession. Meanwhile, makers in the kingdom, like the spinners and weavers, will grow sicker and sicker as they work. A piskey was able to counter the demon’s damage with its own magical gift: if Little Rose spins, she will prick her finger on the spindle and fall asleep, so the demon cannot control her. The son of a weaver dying from the curse, Yashaa blames Zahrah for the tragedy of the kingdom, but when their paths intersect he realizes that not only is the princess blameless, she is a fighter striving to protect her people and resist the demon’s curse. Accompanied by three of Yashaa’s friends, Yashaa and Zahrah are determined to undo the curse before Zahrah turns 18. Greedy rulers and political machinations add tension to Yashaa and Zahrah’s quest and budding romance in this companion novel to A Thousand Nights. Set within the same universe but many years later, this Sleeping Beauty tale stands marvelously on its own. © Cooperative Children's Book Center

CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 13 and older
Age Range: Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13) Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format: Novel
Subjects: Art and Artists Fractured Fairy Tales Love and Romance Magic Oppression Politics and Political Systems Work and Labor
Diversity subject: Brown Skin Unspecified
On CCBC Booklists: Fantastic Fiction: Great Fantasy Books for Ages 11 to 17 James: Retellings & Reimaginings and 19th-Century Black Experiences

Publisher: Hyperion
Publish Year: 2016
Pages: 355
ISBN: 9781484722282
CCBC Location: Fiction, Johnston

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