this week, we’ve been both amused and gutted by “Poisoned Apples: For You, My Pretty“, from Greenwillow Books. Christine Hepperman utilizes the fairy tale genre to explore what young wannabe princesses go through in the real world. these 50 poems will play ping pong with your heart while they issue a scathing indictment of the “beauty myth”, how popular culture influences young women and girls, their bodies, their self image, and their relationships. at times hilarious, at times crawlingly uncomfortable, at times heart rending, often empowering, you may recognize yourself in these characters, or you may find yourself edified. as an added bonus, Hepperman punctuates this dark but heroic journey with fantastic photography by up and coming artists. you’ll want to stay lost in this forest for awhile.