Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen is famous for her fairy tale retellings, so you can be sure that any book you find with her name on it will be great.  Snow in Summer is no exception.  Snow in Summer, or Summer, as she is called, is a beautiful and happy child with loving parents and Cousin Nancy, who loves her like Summer was her own daughter.  The mountains of West Virginia, where they live, are full of mystery and danger, as Summer eventually finds out when her mother dies and an evil woman appears to steal her father’s attention and affection with her vicious magic and selfish plans.  Summer is just a girl; she is at her new stepmother’s mercy, and yet, she knows she can’t just let this horrible but captivating creature destroy her father and her future.  With the help of Cousin Nancy, she begins a battle for her very life and soul.

This is a very fast-paced and enchanting version of the Snow White story that brings in the elements of the teenage years that can be frightening and disturbing in and of themselves, regardless of whether or not a girl is facing death at the hands of a heartless witch, making Summer a character many of us can identify with and understand.  This book has a gorgeous cover and delicately floral endpapers, which combined with the wonderful and thoughtful story makes a pretty package not just for teen girls but for adults as well.