SuitabookRumaysa: A Fairytale
Radiya Hafiza, illustrated by Rhaida El Touny
- Reading
- Read it as a playful conversation about fairy-tale patterns: pause when familiar stories are altered, notice who solves problems, and check in around the Witch and dragon-lair episodes if those situations feel intense.
- Themes
- Agency and heroism: The three heroines are presented as their own rescuers and path-finders, while Rumaysa seeks a way out of imposed confinement. The framing supports an empowering interpretation in which girls take central, active roles rather than waiting to be rescued.
- Representation and retelling: The book retells Rapunzel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty with diverse heroines; Rumaysa uses a hijab as part of her escape attempt. The stated purpose is to bring brown girls into classic fairy-tale settings and place them at the centre of the adventure.
- Friendship and cooperation: Rumaysa teams up with Cinderayla and Sleeping Sara after the three fairy-tale strands are woven together. The synopsis presents cooperation as a significant part of the heroines’ adventure, rather than keeping their stories entirely separate.
- Worth knowing
- Some children may want preparation for a protagonist being locked away, forced to work by an evil Witch, travelling through enchanted forests and entering dragon lairs. The level of peril and its resolution are unclear.