I love the idea of modernized, less sexist fairy tales, but this one is too simplistic and bland to replace the original tale. The illustrations are great -- colorful, whimsical, and modern -- but the story itself leaves something to be desired.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

I love the idea of modernized, less sexist fairy tales, but I am not sure if this one is a little too simplistic. In this version, Prince Handsome is the character that has a curse put on him. He will prick himself on a sharp object and fall asleep as well as the rest of the court. His parents try to protect him but his friend brings pointy plastic swords from his kingdom and the curse kicks in. Over the years a city builds up around the castle and no one even knows it is there. Princess Anya, an engineer, brings an antique drill and gets to the Prince. She wakes Prince Handsome who immediately wants to get married. She vetoes that and they go watch a movie. The illustrations are great -- colorful, whimsical, and modern -- but the story itself leaves something to be desired.

Thanks to Netgalley and Capstone Global Library for the opportunity to read and review this book. ( )

(ARC was provided to read and review.)

The king and queen have a baby boy and they name him Jack, but because he is really very handsome indeed, everybody in the kingdom just calls him Prince Handsome.
His parents throw a splendid party for the little boy and the guests bring along the most amazing gifts. Sadly, no one invited Prime Minister Nonsense and he isn't happy about it. As he is a wizard in his spare time, he casts a spell. "The prince will be allergic to pointy things.If he touches one, he will die."
As happens in the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, help is at hand and cheerful Mr. Magic, the castle magician can weaken the spell and now Prince Handsome, and the whole kingdom with him, will just fall asleep. Just someone with the gift of cleverness will be able to wake the prince.

We can imagine what happens next. Despite all pointy things being banned from the kingdom, disaster strikes when the prince plays with plastic swords with his best friend and now everybody sleeps. Time passes and the castle is hidden from sight, because shopping centres and skyscrapers have been built surrounding it.
Luckily, Princess Anya, a very clever Princess Engineer, comes along with her own tunneling machine. She is determined to find this handsome prince, she's heard to much about.
Will Princess Anya save Prince Handsome and the kingdom? And will the two live happily ever after?

I loved the cheerful modern take on Sleeping Beauty. Finally there's a smart girl trying her best to solve the puzzle of the prince's endless sleep. The ending of the story alone is worth reading the whole book, as Princess Anya stays true to her emancipated viewpoint and it's not what you might expect.
The book is actually very encouraging for young girls to go to school and learn a lot, because they might later in life become a Princess Engineer and dig for their own Prince Handsome with their own tunneling machine.
Cute illustrations in pastel shades enhance the story. There's no doubt, Sleeping Handsome and the Princess Engineer is a book young children will enjoy to read. ( )