Kilala Princess Volume 1
Manga based onKingdom Hearts, the  video-game using classic Disney characters, have been quite successful, and  this book copies the formula closely, but for girls. Kilala dreams of finding  "true love like the Disney princesses"—Cinderella, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty),  Snow White, Belle, Jasmine and the out-of-place mermaid, Ariel. Kilala's  clumsiness and spunky nature make her unlikely to be chosen to wear her  school's princess crown, but when her best friend is kidnapped after winning  the contest, Kilala sets out with handsome stranger Rei (sent to find the  rightful owner of a mystical tiara) to find her. A magical gate leads her to  the princesses, starting with Snow White. The animation-inspired characters are  faithful to their original models and beautifully drawn, but the style contrast  can be a bit odd. Character interaction within the same panel is kept to a  minimum to avoid the abrupt comparison. The little girls the brand name Disney  Princesses was developed for will eat this up with a shovel. It's comfortable,  easy to read, and hits their favorite fantasies hard: what if I were a  princess? what if I were specially picked by the handsome prince? what if I got  to meet the characters I love? Nongirly girls may find the whole thing  regressive and predictable.(Jan.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.