Book Review - 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Sleeping Beauty' by Abie Longstaff (Writer), Lauren Beard (Illustrator)

In 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Sleeping Beauty', we see how much Kittie Lacey loves her job and her salon, her home... everywhere except the garden, which is overgrown and untended, so she closes the back door and keeps it hidden from her patrons.

In this version of 'Sleeping Beauty', we meet the prince before the sleepy princess. Prince Florian is a "garden designer". Of course he does Kittie's garden as she does his hair. Plus, he and the Sleeping Beauty, Rose, were already friends before the wicked fairy's curse took hold. Kittie also loves her cups of tea.

There are seven little fairies, who seek Kittie after Rose is cursed into an enchanted sleep by "the last spinning wheel in the land" on her eighteenth birthday (not sixteenth). The versatile, heroic hairdresser brings Florian along on this quest, plus the fairies; all are worried about Rose. Florian uses his gardening skills to cut down the enchanted, giant weeds, thorns and thickets surrounding Rose's palace. Kittie uses her sharpest scissors, Florian his clippers.

What clever ways of incorporating hairdressing and gardening into the 'Sleeping Beauty' tale! There are different kinds of trimming! None of it seems contrived or too silly.

The thorns and plants are sentient and vicious. Everyone at the palace is asleep. Obviously Florian is Rose's true love, and his kiss breaks the spell. Kittie uses her supportive and comforting skills - her big, brave, kind heart - to help Florian, and to defeat the wicked fairy who cursed Rose by using her hand mirror to reflect the evil fairy's sleeping spell back on her! Again, brilliant.

Rose apparently has a pet unicorn, inferred by one of the pictures on her castle wall.

After the happily-ever-after, fairy tale wedding, there is still Kittie's garden to attend to. Thanks to Florian and Rose's help (she also loves gardening, hence why she and Florian are great together), the garden "looks just as stylish as [Kittie's] salon!". It has a mermaid fountain and everything.

It's good, action-packed, heartfelt, funny, clever, glittery, pink, cute stuff.

I like how 'Sleeping Beauty' shows that, as "perfect" and "Mary Sue-ish" as Kittie often seems, she does have an insecure side, too, which is demonstrated and symbolised by her neglected garden - the only thing about her that isn't stylish, neat and "perfect". It is the only thing the "little miss perfect professional" procrastinates on, and she is ashamed of it; ashamed of showing anyone. Her initially offering the sad seven fairies haircuts as solutions before she even hears them out also shows she can have a one-track mind. It is after she gives them new hairdos that she listens and makes them cups of tea, and then she springs into action to solve their problem practically - to save Rose!

Cameos include: Alice (from Wonderland), Bo Peep, Bluebeard the pirate (I think?), the Owl and the Pussycat, Little Miss Muffet, Humpty Dumpty, Aladdin, the Tortoise and the Hare, the gingerbread house witch, and more.

'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Sleeping Beauty' is adventurous, action-packed, and dynamic, compared to 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Cinderella' - and 'Sleeping Beauty' is one of the instalments that has Kittie cleverly beat the villain - although perhaps it is less about female friendships and help, except for when it comes to the seven fairies, who aside from colour are barely distinguishable from one another. The prince in this fairy tale has more of a personality, not to mention a profession, to (garden) boot.

What's next on 'The Fairytale Hairdresser' series' Disney-like princess roster? Oh, it's 'Snow White'!

I'll see you then.

Final Score: 3.5/5