Don't Kiss the Frog!: Princess Stories with Attitude
Grade 1–4—These slightly sassy stories feature troubled princesses, unusual kingdoms, and magical circumstances. Depicting the woeful lives of six fair royal ladies, each selection leads to the princess's happy ending, albeit through a unique series of events. Selections star Princess Grace, whose clumsiness causes her to lose her clothes, Princess Jane, who trades high royalty for her family's minivan, and Princess Rose, who searches for her own Prince Charming with a little help from a want ad. These quirky, independent heroines battle dragons and endure odds to conventional conclusions, and children familiar with classic fairy tales will enjoy revisiting characters such as the Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, and the Three Bears. The text's changing font reflects the stories' evolving moods; colorful vignettes, combined with exaggerated full-spread art, enhance the humorous antics and provide playful pacing within this varied compilation.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayatteville, NCCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.