Once Upon a Dream: A Twisted Tale cover

Once Upon a Dream: A Twisted Tale

Author: Braswell, Liz

Reading Metrics

Grade Level Middle Grades Plus (MG+ 6 and up)
Book Level 5.6
Points 14.0
Fiction/Nonfiction Fiction
Word Count 87890
Points per Word 0.000159
Page Count 440
Points per Page 0.031818
Series Twisted Tale

Description

Princess Aurora finds herself trapped in a nightmare when the prince falls asleep at the moment of the kiss, turning the classic fairy tale upside down. A desperate fairy's last curse fuels a twisted world of thorns and dreams, forcing Aurora to fight her way through a dangerous magical landscape that mirrors her own mind. As she seeks a way to break the curse and wake both herself and the sleeping prince, she must confront dark forces and make choices that could alter the story forever.

Quick Summary

Once Upon a Dream flips the classic Sleeping Beauty story so that the prince is the one who falls asleep, and the narrative follows him as he stumbles through a kingdom still cursed by dark magic, battling monsters, solving riddles, and trying to break the spell before it's too late. It's a fast-paced, witty adventure that mixes humor with moments of genuine danger, making it a hit for readers who like their fairy-tales with a side of adrenaline. The book is part of Disney's Twisted Tales series, so if you enjoyed clever re-imaginings like The School for Good and Evil or the original Twisted Tales, this one will feel right at home. Parents should note that the story includes some sexual references and mild violence, so it's best suited for older middle-grade readers (MG+). If you're looking for a retelling that packs humor, heart, and a few scares into a classic bedtime story, this one's definitely worth picking up.