John Cech's version of the stunning classic "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" with glorious illustrations by Lucy Corvino really caught our eye. Mine because "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" is actually my favourite classic fairy tale, and Charlotte's because this version really is gorgeously presented.
The story tells the tale of 12 mysterious princesses who somehow steal into the night as darkness falls, returning at dawn with their dancing slippers worn out.
This mystery has baffled their father the king for years, and he promises the hand of his daughters to any would-be suitors who can solve the mystery of where they disappear to every night.
A soldier, returning from the war, is aided in his quest to discover their secret by an old woman who lends him a magical cloak that will help him surreptitiously track the princesses.
She warns him not to eat or drink anything the princesses offer him, so that they can't slip a sneaky sleeping draft into his food or water and steal away.
When the soldier discovers where they've been disappearing off to, he is astonished by the fabulous surroundings but remembers his mission for the king, and takes a keepsake to prove his story, winning the hand of the eldest princess and becoming heir to the kingdom.
This version almost dances off the pages, with the most gloriously flowing illustrations accompanying the child-friendly version of the text. These are true keepsakes and the classic fairy tale collection range really does deserve to be collected in its entirety.
"The Twelve Dancing Princesses" by John Cech and Lucy Corvino is out now from Sterling Publishing.
(Kindly sent for review by Sterling Publishing)