Humor, a dash of magic, and a wise, quirky, and relatable young hero.
In Lodge’s chapter book, a rule-breaking little princess’ magical discovery brings happiness and fun to her sad kingdom.
Six-year-old Princess Francesca Fusspot isn’t impressed by the fact that her ancestors left the Land of Gunk to settle in The Land of Perfect, a place absent of fun where even the flowers and bushes grow in clean straight rows and official rules prohibit laughter, messiness, noise, and not walking in regimented lines. Centuries after these rules were established, everyone—the townspeople and their monarchs, “King Soap and Queen Raindrop”—is still following them. Everyone, that is, except for Princess Francesca Fusspot. She defies regulations regularly by laughing and having fun, making friends with talking animals, not wearing gloves, and disliking itchy “princessy” dresses. She loves her parents, but they want her to be like everyone else in the kingdom, indulging in “no dancing, games, or any other sort of caterwauling” (there’s a continuity slip here, since Francesca’s mother said earlier that she would be expected to learn to waltz). Knowing that she’s “the only person in Fusspot history to disobey the Rules” makes Francesca feel “alone and slightly sick”—until she explores the “Forbidden Tower,” magically finds a kindred spirit, and comes up with a smart plan to change frowns into smiles. In this entertaining chapter book, elementary school–age readers are served off-the-wall fairy-tale elements, Ligon’s appealingly cartoony black-and-white and color illustrations, and a welcome message about how even one small person can make a difference. The author imbues the king and queen’s newfound appreciation for their daughter’s courage and wisdom with genuine warmth in a thoughtful contrast to the great deal of well-calibrated silliness that comes before (such as characters named for their jobs, which include Royal Door Slammers; the Royal Squeezer, who squeezes Queen Raindrop into her shoes; PinCushion, who dresses the Queen; and the Royal Screwball, whose job is to “swivel” the King around corners).
Humor, a dash of magic, and a wise, quirky, and relatable young hero.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
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