Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, 2006
Aza is no beauty. In fact, she is ugly enough to cause rude stares from the patrons at her adopted parents’ inn. But her voice is one of the most beautiful heard anywhere in the kingdom, which is a great gift indeed in a kingdom that breaks into song at a drop of a hat, and plays composing games for fun. When a lady-in-waiting falls ill, Aza ends up at the castle. This retelling of Snow White is perfectly delightful, from Queen Ivi, a foreigner and no singer, who is vain enough to be tricked by the evil magical Skulni who inhabits the inside the hand mirror, into some vile acts, to the little gnomes (and her friend zhamM) who give Aza shelter after she is accused of tricking the kingdom. Aza throws her singing voice for the queen, making it appear the queen is singing, thus deceiving the court, but she is not guilty of being a traitor to all Ayortha’s ways. Before running away, she takes a beauty potion but Prince Ijori is happy when it finally wears off. I found this companion book to Ella Enchanted also enchanting.

Some memory-jogging tags: Kingdoms. Magic. Fantasy. Beauty. Singing. Self-acceptance. Identity. Fairytale.

MS Rating: Great.