title: Fearless Girls, Wise Women & Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World
author: Kathleen Ragan
description: [A] spell-binding anthologyshimmering, spine-tingling tales in which females of every shape, age, and size valiantly and selflessly save the day.<br /> - <strong><em>Elle</em></strong><br /><br />It is the magic of these stories that came as a revelation to meI hope this book becomes a classic.<br /> - <strong>Susan Griffin, <em>Los Angeles Times</em></strong><br /><br />The stories are gemsdelightfully fresh folktales from six continents whose lively plots will enspirit both parents and teachers.<br /> - <strong>Ruth P. Bottigheimer, author of <em>Grimm's Bad Girls and Bold Boys</em></strong><br /><br />Anthologist Kathleen Ragan has, with the publication of this book, become an important figure in the restoration of the feminine aspect of the hero. She gives us the broadest selection of female hero stories that has ever been published.<br /> - <strong>Jane Yolen, from the foreword</strong><br /><br />As edifying as it is entertaining.<br /> - <strong><em>Booklist</em></strong>
zlib_text: > PRETTY PLACES
  
  > E&M INVESTIGATIONS | BOOK ONE
  
  > LENA BOURNE
  
  > > 1
  
   _W_ _HEN_ _I_ _FIRST MET HER,_ _she was as innocent and pure as they come.
  Completely unaware of her beauty and potential. Dumb, you could say._
  
   _But she turned right around as soon as I gave her some attention. She was
  starved for that. I followed it up by boosting her confidence with exaggerated
  praise of her talent._
  
   _That’s all it took for her to become like all the others. Vain, full of
  herself, vulgar. Better to preserve her while there’s at least a kernel of the
  pureness and innocence left._
  
   _Besides, I already have a new one picked out. This one is as vain as they
  come. Exactly like one of the princess’ evil stepsisters from the fairytale.
  Or both rolled into one._
  
   _I will enjoy peeling all that away to reveal the pureness and innocence
  beneath the vain, egotistical exterior, which I still believe is there in all
  of them._
  
   _Sometimes, I almost wish I wasn’t so gullible and naïve. I wish I didn’t
  