BLUE IN THE FACE

After throwing a terrible tantrum, a horrid 11-year-old wakes up in a parallel world and discovers her true self.

Elspeth lives in a Seattle apartment with her doting parents. When she holds her breath to force her parents to give in to her demands for a pet alpaca, Elspeth finds herself in a strange forest where living nursery-rhyme characters hide from despicable King Krool. Elspeth learns Krool’s goons attacked Humpty Dumpty, stole Bo Peep’s sheep, terrorized Miss Muffet, and mangled Jack Horner’s thumbs. Oblivious to their suffering, Elspeth demands to go home, but only Jack and Jill know the way, and they are Krool’s prisoners. Arriving at Krool’s castle, Elspeth’s cast into the dungeon, where she meets Jack and Jill, discovers they are her real parents, and realizes she’s the girl prophesied to lead a rebellion to end Krool’s reign and restore Willie Winkie, the rightful king. Aided by three blind mice, Elspeth escapes, rallies the exiles, and molds herself into a girl worthy of the prophecy. Familiar nursery-rhyme characters assume arresting new personas in this witty, clever story of personal transformation. Rewritten rhymes and cartoonlike illustrations add humor.

A surprising heroine fulfills her destiny in this rollicking version of Mother Goose.