The Vanities

The fantastically coiffed courtier on the cover of this debut gives a whiff of the luxury that waits within. Lawlor, an advertising art designer, makes dazzling collages in which louche, seductive figures materialize out of meticulously cut photos of silks, gems and flowers, their do's whipped up out of sequins or pinecones and berries. His breathless retelling of Cinderella features three fashion-plate sisters who lord it over their foundling servant, Giselle, a genius of a hairdresser. Giselle has the last laugh, however, when she wins the crown of the kingdom by revealing that fabulous hair is not as important as good judgment. Lawlor undermines his claim, though, by lavishing most of his artistic energy on the court and its excesses. Although the text is sub-par (“A talent so rare they had all to their own / a girl named Giselle was locked up in their home”), this innovative hybrid—equal parts picture book and fashion magazine, with a dash of graphic novel—will attract as many adult fashionistas as younger readers. Ages 9–up. (June)