THE POPPIN PRINCESS

An unusual princess from a faraway land breaks barriers (and wind) in a gorgeously illustrated and humorous fairy tale.

In a tiny, unnamed kingdom, Prince Archibald and his pushy parents seek a bride. The many competing princesses—each with her own quirk—are taken out of contention when the queen puts them through a series of challenges, including one designed to see how they handle cauliflower and broccoli. Here, things take a left turn that will either delight or annoy readers, depending on their tolerance for fart humor. Then Lou, the “Princess of the Wind” arrives. She has terrible table manners, makes silly faces and, most importantly, captures Archibald’s heart. And when she’s tested for flatulence, the silly ending isn’t too difficult to guess: She makes beautiful music with her talented digestive system, securing the throne. This could have been a terrible, tasteless app, but the illustrations are so lovely, the narration and text so poker-faced and the extra features so clever that it works. Offered in French or English, the story is just the right length, and its visuals, set against a backdrop of creased, taped-up papers, allow the story to get away with a lot.

Perhaps it’s not for everyone, but there’s a lot to admire. For adults and kids who find it funny, it will be a total gas.