Princess of the Wild Sea

At her christening, Princess Harbor Rose of Lapistyr is cursed by one of her aunts to prick her finger and bring about a mysterious enemy which “shall lay waste to the land” in this expansive “Sleeping Beauty” remix by Blakemore (the Frankie Sparks, Third-Grade Inventor series). A second aunt successfully alters the curse, which now foretells the rise of a hero to defeat the coming evil. Fearing for Harbor’s safety, her family relocates to isolated Small Island, where she grows up hidden in exile. Upon turning 12, however, Harbor’s curse activates, summoning 14-year-old Peter from contemporary Kansas. He becomes her friend over the course of several visits, the last of which coincides with the attack of the Frost, an army “who willed themselves to life in the barren icelands.” Accompanied by Peter and his younger sister Anna, Harbor must unravel the secrets of her family’s past and Small Island’s true nature to defeat the Frost and save her loved ones from evil clutches. Familiar fairy tales serve as the foundation for this intriguing volume, which Blakemore imbues with refreshing wildness and originality, resulting in a continually surprising adventure. Major characters present as white. Ages 8–11. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. (Jan.)