I really enjoyed reading Fairest, I have read it twice. One thing that really reeled me in was how Ijori fell in love with Aza even though she was outwardly unattractive to herself and many others. I think that a teenager will get the most out of this story since it has a lot to do with self-esteem. It's a real encourager.
Fairest
(2006, Fiction - Fairy Tale, Written by Gail Levine)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Fantasy charms with a refreshingly homely heroine.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 10 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Fairest was written by Pam Gelman
Parents need to know that in this fairytale from the author of Ella Enchanted, the heroine, Aza, is refreshingly less attractive than your average protagonist and suffers from quite a bit of self-doubt because of it. Aza is tricked and imprisoned in a dungeon where she is tied up with a gag in her mouth. When she escapes there is the threat of being killed by a guard or eaten by an ogre. There are also mild love exchanges between Aza and a prince, which includes some kissing.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about why Aza is a good and kind person worth rooting for. Is it because she grows up in a house of love and respect? Can you relate to Aza's feelings about herself and how others judge her? How did it feel as a reader to hear Aza's description of herself as a "blemish" or others calling her an "ogre"? Does this make you feel differently about first impressions and judging others?
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More on Fairest
Book Summary
Left as a baby, Aza is found by a loving innkeeper and wife who raise her as their own. She grows large and homely, causing her shame and low self-esteem. But, she is kind and has a gift for song, making curious guests drawn to her, including a wise gnome and a duchess. She is invited to the castle as the handmaid for the king's wedding to a mysterious young woman from another land. This new queen befriends Aza and learns of Aza's gift of song and the ability to illuse. She threatens to harm Aza's family unless Aza illuses a voice for the queen at the kingdom Sings.
The prince is also intrigued by Aza and much to Aza's pleasant surprise they develop a friendship. Aza learns that the queen has been given beauty through a magical mirror given by the Fairy Lucinda, the same one in the book Ella Enchanted. A creature lives in the mirror who is giving the queen poor advice on running the kingdom while the king is ill.
Aza's illusing is soon revealed, but not before she goes to the mirror and asks for beauty. With physical beauty the problems begin for Aza, including imprisonment and a run-in with a poison apple.
Is It Any Good?
Gail Carson Levine has mastered the art of twisting fantasy and creating interesting characters that are likeable and somehow relatable to today's kids. Aza is smart, competent, and gifted in song, a highly honored and valuable means of communication in this society. She can also illuse, a method of throwing your voice to make it appear that someone else is singing. This skill becomes the tool for the newly married, beautiful young queen to win the hearts of the kingdom.
And so follows a story with adventure, love, and fantasy with a common thread to the tale of Sleeping Beauty, and a lesson about recognizing what true beauty is.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, Publication date: 09/19/2006
Number of pages: 326, Price: $16.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 10, Read Alone: 10
Number of pages: 326, Price: $16.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 10, Read Alone: 10
Our Members Say
See all 16 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
Best for young teens.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great For All Girls!
This book is one of my all time favorites. The messages and characters are positive, and it really supports inner and true beauty.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Another wonderfully empowering story from Gail Carson Levine.
My 8-year old loved this book, and so do I. This story includes many subtle lessons: the pitfalls of obsession with beauty, the importance of family support and self-reliance, making the most of your strengths, and how good deeds and considerations can pay back in unexpected ways.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I loved this. In the beginning Aza is completely concerned about how she looks, but READ ON, later Aza finds out that inner beauty is what really matters. I think this is best for girls 10+ but younger girls CAN read this, it just might not make a lot of sense. Boys are VERY likely to NOT be interested in this story. But girls will probably LOVE it.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
It's a great book for about 12 years of age and up.
Me...personally, I loved it. It's about somethings that aren't real...but it's exciting to read. I never really liked to read. But, whenever I started reading it...I would barely put the book down. It's really a great book for kids to read. But just so you know, it does have a couple of curse worlds in it, so if you want your kids to read it, then let them wait until they're maybe about 12 to 13 or even 14 years old. I didn't read it until 14. But, it also has some tricky words to pronounce as well. But, either way, it's still a freat book.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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