WHAT'S YOUR HAPPILY EVER AFTER? (FIFTH AVENUE FIDOS)

Like many kid lit enthusiasts, I've long loved THE PAPER BAG PRINCESS. For years, I've considered it one of the absolute best (if not the best) picture book written. Strong female character? Check. Adventure? Check. Important message? Double-check.

Here, young readers are introduced to the idea that happy endings are in no way one-size-fits all. Happy endings involve a prince--or not. A gal can ride off (or in the case of the princess here, skip off) into the sunset all on her own...


FIFTH AVENUE FIDOS (which releases Friday) addresses some of these issues on the adult level.

The book plays with the conventions of both romantic comedies and fairy tales (the book actually includes a princess) in order to ask readers what they think their own happy ending entails: a prince, another princess, or--ahem--a brachycephalic dragon (yep, the book includes one of those, too).

What about you? Does the sunset (your own happy ending) seem a million miles away? Have you already ridden off into your sunset? Is your happy ending different than what you'd originally imagined? It certainly is for Mable, the main character in FIDOS.