Description

Epic, rewarding, and provocative, Elissa Sussman’s original fairy tale tells the story of Aislynn, a princess who misbehaves and must give up her royal trappings and enter a life of service as a fairy godmother. Booklist wrote, “Sussman delightfully mixed dystopian tension with retold fairy tales, and the result is something wholly original.”

A cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and Wicked, with a dash of Grimm and Disney thrown in, this original fairy tale is part coming-of-age story, part adventure, part sweet romance. Will Aislynn remain true to her vows and her royal family and turn away from everything she longs for? Or will she stray from The Path and discover her own way? Includes a recipe for Fairy Godmother Bookbinder Bread, and a map.

About the Author

Elissa Sussman received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and in a previous life managed animators and organized spreadsheets at some of the best animation studios in the world, including Nickelodeon, Disney, DreamWorks, and Sony Imageworks. You can find her name in the credits of The Croods, Hotel Transylvania, The Princess and the Frog, and Tangled. She lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and their rescue dog, Basil. Stray is her first novel.

Praise For…

“Sussman delightfully mixes dystopian tension with retold fairy tales, and the result is something wholly original.” — Booklist

“The creative use of the role of fairy godmother is fascinating.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The ending is exhilarating and nicely sets up for a sequel.” — San Francisco Book Review

“This fun tale will appeal to reluctant female readers.” — School Library Journal

“A particularly intriguing portrait…of a girl entrenched in a culture that shames women and their magical abilities.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books