Rumaysa: A Fairytale: 1 (Rumaysa, 1)

A fun and delightful adventure delving into fairy tales that bend and challenge representation, cultural stereotypes and sexism.Rumaysa reminded and rekindled for me why I adore fairy tales so much - their resonance, their blur between light and dark, and the mirror they hold up ferociously to the world.This was also a whimsical read, that often felt at times very much like a Dream Works film mixed with a dash of 'Once Upon a Time.'My only query, is that the last tale of 'Sleeping Sara' felt a tad rushed. And the ending, although open to possibility, offered no closure for the main character of 'Rumaysa.' I think the closure AND the mix of possibility would have been the cherry on top!Overall however, I think these fairy tales will be a joyous treasure for any reader.

3 parts: retelling of rapunzel, retelling of cinderella, retelling of sleeping beautyLOVE that the girls in this book can fend for themselves and don't need a prince charming to come and save them.LOVE that the young boy in this book is an introvert.LOVE the cover.LOVE LOVE LOVE

Rumaysa a fairytale, is about a girl who is trapped in her tower forced to spin straw into gold. Until one day she escapes from her tower using her hijab as a rope and meets Cinderayla and sleeping Sara. I enjoyed reading this book because I liked how it was a different version (but quite different) of Rapunzel. Even though I really enjoyed this book I wish it could have an alternative ending. I rate this book 4/5 stars and think the age rating should be 7-12 years

My favourite part is when Ayla makes a decisive stand against the Prince. Brilliant book with many unexpected twists and turns. Congratulations to the author ...

Bought as a gift for GD. Her mother said it was a bit scary for bedtime reading so will read together during the day.

Highly recommend this book for all ages. Wish I had these kind of books growing up. Love how the stories are interlinked and a classic with a modern twist! Even my 7 year old son is reading it again he enjoyed it too. Would make great gifts to loved ones too.

I gifted this to my 5 year old niece called Rumaysa 💕 she was delighted with her gift.

This is a collection of three interconnected stories, titled Rumaysa, Cinderayla, and Sleeping Sara. Each reworked a renowned fairytale with a Muslim protagonist, a feminist angle, and a unique dash of magic. Despite aimed at a far younger target audience, I admired and adored the contents. I also appreciated the representation provided. A quote from this anthology accurately describes just why books like this are so important:"It was the only book Rumaysa owned where the characters had similar names to her and shared her skin colour."More little readers deserve to find themselves within more books like this one.