The Queen of France (Junior Library Guild Selection)
PreS-Gr 2-With a few props from the make-believe basket and a royal imagination, Rose transforms into the Queen of France. She then sets out searching for Rose. (Later Rose goes in search of the Queen, but, alas, the two never meet.) The child's parents lovingly fulfill their roles, playing along and encouraging their daughter's imaginative game. When the Queen suggests that she'd like to trade places with Rose, the adults agree, but admit they would miss her terribly. Of course the Queen of France takes off her crown in the end, and Rose comes to dinner. The text is at once both quiet and lively, creating a three-dimensional character. It will read easily for the first or one hundredth time-it's a story that will never grow tired. Soft, delicate cartoons in ink, watercolor, and gouache capture the essence of Rose and her alter ego. With minimal line, the illustrator creates real, engaging characters. Several pages of text are decorated with simple frames of stars, crowns, and roses. The quiet simplicity is feminine without the frou-frou and frills. Rose will be an inspiration for many young princesses and a great character to share with small groups or one-on-one.-Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH (c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.