Whether you’re a classic Disney fan (The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Cinderella) or a lover of the studio’s more recent hits (Moana, Encanto, Tangled), there’s a feeling of comfort and familiarity that comes with these stories. It awakens our inner kid and entertains our magical imaginations. For anyone who adores Disney, there are books inspired by these classic tales you just can’t miss. Some are intentional retellings, others are simply putting off similar mood to those delightful movies. From YA fantasies to adult romances, here’s a roundup of books that will transport you to a favorite childhood fairytale.
The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song – Mulan
Inspired by the Chinese folktale Hua Mulan, this story is full of epic battles and mystical moments that will leave readers feeling inspired by the heroic acts of the brave warrior Meilin. About to be sold off for a dowery by her cold father, Meilin decides to take his place in the imperial army of the Three Kingdoms to escape his plot and a future destined for failure. She proves herself to be a strong soldier, earning the admiration and attention of many others, including Prince Sky. As the battles rage on, Meilin begins having visions of a sea dragon, telling her only he can offer her true freedom and power, but at a terrible price. Now Meilin must question who to trust and what freedom means to her, but most importantly, she must trust herself and find her power within.
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My Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows – The Little Mermaid
Mary, a mermaid, is head over tail fin in love with the prince of Charles Town, who does not love her back. And thanks to mermaid magic, if Mary’s heart is broken, she will turn into seafoam. In a stroke of bad luck, Mary is caught by a pirate crew and must join them to survive. But when she hears about the death of Blackbeard, Mary has a new plan to set in motion to become the nest Pirate King, and she won’t let anyone get in her way.
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Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren – Tangled
This modern retelling of Disney’s Rapunzel will have readers dreaming of their own happily ever after and feeling as light as a paper latten in the night sky. Ren grew up on a homestead with practically no connection to the world beyond the fence posts. But, when she gets accepted to Corona College, her world is finally expanding, and she is off to chase her dream. Then she meets Fitz, a senior at Corona who just wants to graduate and start his new life as the wealthy, suave guy everyone thinks he is, not the criminal he used to be. When a simple assignment sets them off on a road trip together, they will both decide if the dream they thought they were chasing is really what they want.
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If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy – Cinderella
Known for her incredible shoe collection, Cindy is the epitome of a fashionista, but it can be hard for her to find any clothes she likes as a plus sized woman. This inspired her to get a design degree to create luxury fashion for other plus sized women. However, this dream is a little out of reach for a recent grad, so she must return home and live with her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, the executive producer of a popular dating reality show she forces Cindy to join. While Cindy loves the spotlight and the opportunity to establish herself, she cannot escape the constant comments from fans and other contestants about her, her body, and her relationship with the show’s leading man. To make it to the end and get the guy, Cindy must take a huge leap of faith and trust she will land where she is supposed to, in designer heels no less.
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By the Book by Jasmine Guillory – Beauty and the Beast
It’s a tale as old as time; a girl in need of change and an adventure, finds herself at the threshold of an incredible and somewhat ominous mansion, owned by a beastly and standoffish man. In Izzy’s case, the man happened to be Beau Towers, the one author who had been causing a lot of problems for her boss at the publishing house. Seeing this as a possible way to jumpstart her career, she finds Beau and helps him find the words to complete his manuscript. As the two spend more time together, they realize there might be something there that wasn’t there before, but with the book’s deadline coming up, Izzy and Beau must finish the manuscript fast, but what about the story of the two of them?
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Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier – Moana
Years ago, Hanalei and her fmaily were forced into exile after her father stole a seadragon egg. One day, a female seadragon offers Hanalei a chance to escape and go home, a chance she cannot pass up, no matter the cost. Sam, the prince of the Tamarind throne, must marry or find a way to heal his sick mother to protect his family and their reign. He believes the seadragon egg will do just the trick. The two childhood friends team up to find the mystical seadragon egg, said to have the power undo a terrible sorrow. But, like all wishes, it comes with a price. Their journey is full of peril and enemies, all searching for the magical seadragon egg, but whoever finds it first will uncover the dangerous power the fruit holds within.
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A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney – Alice in Wonderland
Alice has been training and fighting off monsters in the hellish Wonderland ever since the Nightmares first came for her. Back home in Atlanta, there is zero monster fighting, but Alice still battles with her overprotective mother, slipping GPA, and tends to her needy best friend every day. Right as Alice thinks she is losing her balance between the two worlds, her monster hunting mentor is inexplicably poisoned. Alice must venture to the deepest, darkest, and maddest parts of Wonderland to find the antidote and save his life, all while fighting the most dangerous monsters she has ever met and trying not to lose her mind.
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The P.A.N. by Jenny Hickman – Peter Pan
Vivienne has been moving from place to place her whole life in the foster system. She has finally found a family that she gets along well with, and is only days away from turning 18 and being released from the system. Then she is hospitalized with an illness no one can explain. All except for Deacan, her new friend who believes she has an active Nevergene is causing problems. This is extremely rare and far-fetched, which is all the doctors need to take Vivenne to H.O.O.K, a medical testing faciality where she would become a human lab rat. Her only chance of escape is with Deacan to Neverland’s Kinsington Academy and joining The P.A.N. She will have to leave everything she knew behind and live in the shadows for the rest of her life to survive.
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Wild Beauty by Anna Marie McLemore – Encanto
Generations of Nomeolvides women have taken care of the magical, lush, garden filled grounds of La Pradera while bearing a terrible curse. If any of them fall too deeply in love, their love will disappear. Then one day, a boy with no memory of his past appears at La Pradera, so Estrella Nomeolvides tries to help him discover his past. On their journey, they are led by La Pradera along dangerous paths that could bring an end to the boy and the Nomeolvides’.
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Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust – Snow White
To escape her cruel magician father who took her heart and replaced it with a glass one, Mina moves to Whitespring castle and meets the king. From there, she forms the perfect plan to woo the king and becoming Queen, the main problem, she will have a young stepdaughter. Also magically created by a magician for the King, Princess Lynet was crafted in her mother’s image, though she would rather be thought of more like her stepmother, Queen Mina, who is steely and powerful. Lynet gets this wish when the king grants her rule over the south territories, the place Mina was going to reign. Now Mina despises Lynet, and it is up to Lynet to decide who she wants to be, and what to do, to win back her stepmother’s favor or overthrow her and take the crown.
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The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee – Inside Out
In a town hidden in our own minds, there is a department store full of dreams for sale. People and animals can visit to purchase any type of dream the desire, from flying dreams to seeing old friends, wild adventures in the Amazon and reliving childhood memories, The Dallergut Dream Department Store has it all. Penny has just been hired to work at the store and is excited to meet all the interesting clientele and her eccentric coworkers. During her time there, she realizes many of us, no matter how different we all seem, dream for the same reasons, do grow, learn, and flourish in our waking life and continue the adventure in our dream filled one.
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