Readers are not likely to find a stranger aggregation of variegated princesses than in this fantastical collection of royal predilections and whims. This French import examines 34 fictitious princesses and their preferences, taboos, traits and oddities. Along the way it also gives advice on dancing, fans, princess etiquette and a host of amusing ephemera and enticements. For instance, Princess Tangri-la “dresses wildly, without care” and adores dancing; her “bio” is accompanied by a short, idiosyncratic exposition on dance. This book begs readers to pore over its miniscule details at length, to say nothing of Dautremer’s lushly rendered illustrations, which require repeated viewings. Too long for the preschool/early-elementary set and appearing at first glance to be too young for the chapter-book readers, it fails to fit easily into familiar categories, however. It may fare best among those children with a taste for the strange, eclectic and beautiful who have room in their brains for a little outsized creativity. Consider handing it to those kids with a penchant for the impossible. A beautiful affair that requires a special kind of audience. (Picture book. 7-11)
Pub Date: June 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6677-0
Page Count: 92
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2010
George has a powerful word, ``short and sharp and ugly,'' that has always upset everyone who hears it and that has an unprecedented effect on Great-aunt Agatha: it actually turns her into a dragon, who hauls George off to her friend Wordsworth, a wordsmith. Unperturbed, Wordsworth sends the dragon to look for a becoming hat for Agatha, then explains his craft to the startled boy—he coins new words for all sorts of things, ``an enemy, a recipe, a lover's plea, a strain of flu''—and he's willing to trade a unique, made-to-specification word for George's shocker. Intrigued, George outlines his requirements: the word should be prickly but light, ``strong as an elephant,'' and include a ``fuster'' (shhh, thhh, fff, or sss)—a word to keep to himself. With charmingly witty dialogue and wordplay, an approachable format (including plenty of amusing line drawings), and the lure of the never-revealed dragon word, a grand readaloud for readers who will later enjoy The Phantom Tollbooth (1961). (Fiction. 7- 11)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-395-55129-3
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1991
A cartoon-style adventure with cats for people. Feeling baleful about her family's preference for her model older sister, Violet goes off to play at the dump, where she finds a cape that transports her, like Superman, when she says the magic words: ``I am Violet!'' Next, she happens on a pleasant character called Grim who says he's a robber. He does have a packful of cash, but the rest of his story is the product of his colorful imagination. Real robbers turn up; with Grim's help, Violet thwarts their next heist with bravado and ingenuity. A lively romp, well-paced and funny. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 16, 1991
ISBN: 0-688-09456-2
Page Count: 64
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1991
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