Image via WikipediaModellandBy Tyra Banks
Take a touch of Willie Wonka, add a bit of Cinderella, and add lots of fashion and accessory savvy and you will be reading Modelland! Fairy Tales seems to be taking a new forefront these days with Grimm and Once Upon a Time taking rave reviews for the latest TV programs... So Banks' choice of presentation for her story is coming at a perfect time for everybody who enjoys lots of fantasy along with a few scary spots and a fable-like moral. I was impressed with the underlying story and support it for our youth...
Two sisters live with their parents in Metopia--Myrracle is a beautiful, graceful young teen who was early on spoiled and pampered, being primed to be chosen to enter Modelland. Tookie De La Creme, her sister, "with her untamable hair, large forehead, and gawky body", has silently been ignored by anybody and everybody for as long as she remembers. Her latest attempt to be somehow recognized, even if she has to be hurt in doing so, is to lie down in the middle of the hallway at school, hoping at least to be acknowledged. But everybody somehow not only does not step on her, they still succeed in not even realizing she is...there! She was a true "Forgetta-Girl..."
Consider, if you will, a world where beauty is paramount and becoming a model is the highest, loftiest goal to which any young girl, and some boys, can strive for. Whereas Cinderella was the only girl that was not going to the ball, in Metopia and across this world all activities evolve around the world of fashion. And, there in Metopia, the fashion capital of the world, anybody who was not destined for becoming a model was forced to work in the many fashion and beauty product factories that supported those few who were beautiful. There were also some questionable activities and experiments that took place on some young girls, although nobody really acknowledged them...
And so the grand annual "call" was to take place. A few were sent special invitations; but people would flock from all over the world to Metopia to symbolically walk the red carpet up the mountain. For you see, Modelland was located above Metopia! It was a secured magical place where, once chosen, the girls would be taught how to find their magical abilities, hoping for as many as possible to gain recognition and stature. Seven would become "Intoxibellas" each year...but many would stay there in Modelland to serve the chosen...
It was rare that anybody left Modelland...although many would have if permitted...
But something happened this year--a rouge Intoxibella! Not only had she gone nuts, she was being hunted by many far and wide. But she was there as a scout that day and, instead of Myrracle, she took Tookie! And once she had Tookie, she went blissfully through the town selecting three more young women who were definitely not the typical model type! In fact, when they all reached Modelland, they were considered as new seamstresses or anything other than new members of the classes that would soon start!
One thing we know about the U.S. is that successful people have the ability to influence--for good or bad. The intent of this novel is important and I think Tyra Banks has done an excellent job of helping young women realize that looks are not what makes beautiful people. She's written what she knows and done it in a way that is fun as well as refreshing in its honesty, albeit in the very fairy-tale world of Modelland! You might find taking advantage of the story will be more important than anything you might say yourself to the young people in your life.
I plan on sharing this with my great-niece to whom I've already told a little. She's watching the two new TV shows mentioned above and enjoying them...in fact, if you are watching these programs, then I highly recommend you consider the first book by Tyra Banks.
Book received via
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