If you loved

Books like Sleeping Ugly

A playful, fractured fairy tale that turns classic magical tropes upside down for a surprising and humorous read. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Sleeping Ugly.

lighthearted
whimsical
magical

01
Ugly
Donna Jo Napoli
A tender, wandering fairy tale about the ache of not fitting in and the quiet search for belonging.
Feels:
- lonely
- uncertain
- tender
02
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
A chaotic, laugh-out-loud dismantling of every bedtime story you thought you knew.
Shares:
- playful
- subversive
- subverting expectations
03
Briar Rose
Jane Yolen
A hauntingly beautiful exploration of how we use myth to mask, and ultimately reveal, the darkest truths of our history.
Feels:
- haunting
- melancholic
- atmospheric
04
Beauty and the Beast
Jan Brett
A timeless tale of magic and compassion where true love breaks the darkest of spells.
Shares:
- magical
05
Prince Cinders
Babette Cole · 1995
A cheeky, gender-flipped fairy tale that trades glass slippers for a trip to the disco.
Shares:
- lighthearted
- whimsical
- humorous
- playful
06
Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine · 1998
A clever, spirited reimagining of a classic tale where the heroine's greatest battle is for her own free will.
Shares:
- whimsical
- wry
- subverting expectations
07
The Wide-Awake Princess
E. D. Baker
A delightfully fractured fairy tale that champions practicality and pluck over magical perfection.
Shares:
- whimsical
- humorous
- subverting expectations
08
Once Upon A Marigold (Upon a Marigold #1
Jean Ferris
A delightfully quirky, fractured fairy tale that wraps you in a warm hug of witty banter and found family.
Shares:
- whimsical
- playful
- wry
09
The Frog Princess
E. D. Baker · 2004
A delightfully swampy, fractured fairy tale that proves sometimes you have to lose your crown to find your true self.
Shares:
- lighthearted
- whimsical
- humorous
- playful
10
Beastly
Alex Flinn
A modern, angsty spin on a classic fairy tale that trades castle walls for a New York City brownstone and explores the painful, beautiful process of learning to look past the surface.
Shares:
- inner versus outer beauty
11
Spindle's End
Robin McKinley
A lush, winding journey through a fairy tale where the magic of talking animals and village life is just as important as breaking the curse.
Shares:
- whimsical
- wry
12
Beauty sleep
Cameron Dokey · 2002
A warm, spirited reimagining of a classic fairy tale where a cursed princess takes her destiny into her own hands.
Shares:
- whimsical

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