A captivating and magical tale that begs to be read aloud, Princess Zaara and the Enchanted Forest by children’s author Umbreen Asghar is the sort of tale that sparks the imagination and fuels a child’s curiosity. With lavish, highly stylized illustrations by Diane Lucas, this beginning children’s book introduces a curious Spanish princess named Zaara. She’s seven and the only thing she wants in the whole wide kingdom is to explore the forest that is just beyond her empire, so when she gets a chance, she jumps at it. She discovers that the forest is all she has ever heard or dreamed about, and there in the mesmerizing dark folds, keeping her royal lineage a secret, she makes friends. They’re a curious lot. There’s Morgan the Giant, Elvin the Elf, Banji the Bear and Tiffany-Annabel, all who bring something special to the group. When an evil wood spirit puts a spell on her new pals, Zaara shows courage and tenacity befitting the best sort of princess—the kind that is a friend first.