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Illustration by Cathy Feng
Frog Prince In this modern retelling, the frog is no longer a cursed prince but a symbol of those marginalized for challenging mainstream beauty ideals and identity norms. The story takes place in a quiet garden corridor, where a knight and a prince share a kiss; both characters are intentionally portrayed with ambiguous gender features, leaving space for interpretation and breaking traditional gender expectations. Behind them, fireworks bloom slowly in the colours of the LGBTQ+ flag, casting a warm, inclusive glow across the garden. These colours are more than decoration; they honour identity, choice, and the beauty of nontraditional connection. This story encourages children to reflect on what makes a relationship meaningful—not appearance or magical change, but empathy, respect, and emotional honesty. By embracing gender fluidity and redefining the kiss as a symbol rather than a spell, the tale breathes new life into the classic narrative, offering a gentle, inclusive space for children to explore love, identity, and acceptance.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
Alice in Wonderland In this version, it is not curiosity that traps Alice, but the lack of meaningful childhood companionship. She turns to the screen for solace in the void left by emotional connection. Instead of drinking a potion to grow bigger or smaller, Alice scrolls endlessly through a glittering digital world. Her body remains small and still, while huge monitors, pop-ups and social media windows loom around her like a surreal wonderland. The book critiques how digital technology fills an emotional void in children’s lives, taking up time that would otherwise be spent playing, making connections and exploring themselves. It highlights how the internet can be a distraction without making real connections, leading to feelings of loneliness, overstimulation and identity confusion.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
Princess Pea Today’s Princess Pea is repainted as an introverted and perceptive online writer. She lives in a digital world woven of words and emotions, surrounded by softly flickering screens, messy stacks of books and unfinished manuscripts. She no longer loses sleep over a pea under her mattress but is sensitive to subtle social cues, interpersonal tensions, and unspoken mood swings. Instead of being crushed, this emotional “oppression” became the source of her creativity. Her sensitivity is no longer a weakness, but a strength, an ability to resonate, to break the silence, to connect with others. This illustration encourages children to reconceptualize sensitivity as an important way to understand others, to express themselves, and to engage in dialogue with the wider world.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
Rapunzel In this reinterpretation, the tower is no longer a prison, but a powerful metaphor for the structural barriers girls face—social expectations, stereotypes, and systemic limitations. Rapunzel, with her impossibly long braid, doesn’t wait to be rescued. She begins to climb, determined, bold, and hopeful. But she’s not alone. Girls from diverse backgrounds join her, weaving their ribbons and braids into the growing rope, transforming it into a shared symbol of strength. This retelling reframes Rapunzel not as a passive princess, but as a changemaker. It empowers young readers, especially girls, to see that liberation doesn’t come from magical rescue, but from courage, unity, and the refusal to be confined. It teaches that real strength is not solitary, but shared and that every woman’s climb helps build the path for others to rise.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
Cinderella This Cinderella is not seeking love and marriage but reclaiming the stage as a space of visibility and self-expression. The iconic pumpkin doesn’t become a carriage, it’s kicked aside, exploding into a spray of colours that represents breaking free from societal scripts. She doesn’t dance for a prince, but for herself, expressing dreams of independence and personal vision. Her shoes are not glass slippers but sturdy boots for walking her path. Through this story, children learn that dreams are not granted—they’re built with resilience, agency, and the courage to redefine happiness on their own terms.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
Little Red Riding Hood This illustration of Little Red Riding Hood centers around the real issue of child safety. Red Riding Hood is wearing a hoodie with built-in tracking and a smartwatch on her wrist that constantly updates her real-time location. When she encounters potential danger in the shadows of the city, a group of once-missing children who now form a support network step forward to help. Here, the wolf is no longer just a beast of the forest, but a symbol of the invisible but real threats of modern society – neglect, abduction, disconnection and systematic indifference. The forest, on the other hand, is reinvented as a city corner, a busy street and a forgotten space where children must learn to recognize risks and protect themselves. This illustration is a metaphor for child safety, emphasizing the critical role of technology, public awareness and institutional support in protecting children. It emphasizes not only vigilance and self-preservation but also the importance of children supporting each other, asking for help and acting collectively.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
The Little Mermaid The little mermaid no longer stays silent for love—instead, she rejects the prince’s request for her to change who she is and chooses to form a multicultural ocean band with her underwater friends. She keeps her voice and uses it to share strength and joy. Musical staff lines flow like currents through the sea, weaving their voices into a symphony of freedom, belonging, and self-expression. In this watery world, a voice is no longer the price of love, but a bridge that connects hearts. This retelling teaches children that true love is not built on the sacrifice of identity but on respect for each other’s authentic selves. When we are brave enough to be ourselves and proud to share our voices, happiness and connection can truly take root and flourish.
Illustration by Cathy Feng
Snow White The relationship between the stepmother and Snow White is reimagined in this illustration, shifting from competition to connection. The magic mirror symbolizes the over-interpretation and evaluation of women’s looks, constantly reflecting filtered images and distorted standards of perfection. Thus, the stepmother is not inherently evil, but rather a woman consumed by beauty anxiety and the constant pressure to pursue unattainable societal ideals. When the mirror finally breaks under the weight of these expectations, Snow White’s former rival embraces her stepmother through the shattered glass, this time not as the “more beautiful” antagonist, but as a similarly traumatized girl who chooses to understand and empathize. This version teaches children that self-worth is not defined by appearances, nor should it be based on the power over others.