The Princess in Black

*Starred Review* Properly pink Princess Magnolia is having cocoa and scones with Duchess Wigtower when her glitter-stone ring signals a dangerous beast at large. Quickly excusing herself, she secretly slips into black garb to become the Princess in Black, off to do battle with a hungry blue monster. Assisted by Blacky, her trusty steed, she executes several ninja moves (including the Princess Pounce and the Hornswaggle Hop), decisively hog-tying her prey. But Magnolia worries that the nosy duchess may snoop, unmasking her secret identity. Meanwhile Duff, an unassuming goat, appreciates the PIB's talents, and he dreams of one day becoming the Goat Avenger. The authors of Rapunzel's Revenge (2008) and Calamity Jack (2010), writing here for a slightly younger audience, successfully turn the treacly princess genre on its ear, offering beginning readers a clever, adventurous, and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in black or pink. Pham's watercolor-and-ink illustrations, rendered in the style of the Disney classics, effectively contrast Magnolia's identities and emphasize the text's humor. Clever details (Duff and his goats eat popcorn on the sidelines as they watch the PIB do her thing) and short manageable sentences make for a promising and sure to be wildly popular new series debut.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2014 Booklist

With her cherubic face, gold curls, sparkly tiara, glass slippers, and meringuelike pink-on-pink ensemble, Princess Magnolia seems the epitome of a prim and perfect princess. But she has a secret life, one that involves donning a stylish black costume and defeating monsters (who are more goofy than scary, truth be told) that threaten her kingdom. The Hales (Rapunzels Revenge) drop narrative breadcrumbs throughout the story, setting up subsequent titles in the planned series, and they build comic tension by alternating scenes of the masked princesss monster-fighting with ones starring Duchess Wigtower, who Princess Magnolia has left waiting back at her castle, and who has a fondness for uncovering secrets. The Princess in Black hoped the duchess would not snoop, ends chapter six, as the heroine is seen tying up a furry blue monster. The duchess began to snoop, begins chapter seven. Pham (A Piece of Cake) offers little jolts of energy and wit on every page, with full-page and spot illustrations that have the vivaciousness and irreverence of contemporary animation. Ages 5-8. Authors agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. Illustrators agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

K-Gr 3-In this atypical princess story, the refined and frilly Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with the proper Duchess Wigtower when suddenly the monster alarm sounds. As readers quickly find out, Princess Magnolia is actually the Princess in Black. She dons a black cape and ninjalike outfit to fights the monsters that come from Monster Land. Her superhero identity is top secret; Duchess Wigtower must not find out. While the Princess in Black wages battle, Duchess Wigtower snoops around her castle, always looking for evidence of the princesses' imperfections. Meanwhile, Duff the goat boy suspects the true identity of the Princess in Black and considers helping her. The colorful illustrations on each page help move readers through the story as the heroic princess saves the day. The action-packed text in this beginner chapter book will enthrall and is ideal for independent reading or reading aloud. The ending leaves readers with just enough of a wink to hint at a future installment. Give this engaging read to fans of "Bink and Gollie" (Candlewick).-Nancy Jo Lambert, McSpedden Elementary Frisco, TX (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Perfect Princess Magnolia has a secrether alter ego is the Princess in Black, a superhero figure who protects the kingdom! When nosy Duchess Wigtower unexpectedly drops by Princess Magnolia's castle, Magnolia must protect her secret identity from the duchess's prying. But then Magnolia's monster alarm, a glitter-stone ring, goes off. She must save the day, leaving the duchess unattended in her castle. After a costume change, the Princess in Black joins her steed, Blacky (public identity: Frimplepants the unicorn), to protect Duff the goat boy and his goats from a shaggy, blue, goat-eating monster. When the monster refuses to see reason, Magnolia fights him, using special moves like the "Sparkle Slam" and the "Twinkle Twinkle Little Smash." The rounded, cartoony illustrations featuring chubby characters keep the fight sequence soft and comical. Watching the fight, Duff notices suspicious similarities between the Princess in Black and Magnoliaquickly dismissed as "a silly idea"much like the duchess's dismissal of some discovered black stockings as being simply dirty, as "princesses don't wear black." The gently ironic text will amuse readers (including adults reading the book aloud). The large print and illustrations expand the book to a longish-yet-manageable length, giving newly independent readers a sense of accomplishment. The ending hints at another hero, the Goat Avenger. Action, clever humor, delightful illustrations and expectation-defying secret identitieswhen does the next one come out? (Fantasy. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

*Starred Review* Properly pink Princess Magnolia is having cocoa and scones with Duchess Wigtower when her glitter-stone ring signals a dangerous beast at large. Quickly excusing herself, she secretly slips into black garb to become the Princess in Black, off to do battle with a hungry blue monster. Assisted by Blacky, her trusty steed, she executes several ninja moves (including the Princess Pounce and the Hornswaggle Hop), decisively hog-tying her prey. But Magnolia worries that the nosy duchess may snoop, unmasking her secret identity. Meanwhile Duff, an unassuming goat, appreciates the PIB's talents, and he dreams of one day becoming the Goat Avenger. The authors of Rapunzel's Revenge (2008) and Calamity Jack (2010), writing here for a slightly younger audience, successfully turn the treacly princess genre on its ear, offering beginning readers a clever, adventurous, and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in black or pink. Pham's watercolor-and-ink illustrations, rendered in the style of the Disney classics, effectively contrast Magnolia's identities and emphasize the text's humor. Clever details (Duff and his goats eat popcorn on the sidelines as they watch the PIB do her thing) and short manageable sentences make for a promising—and sure to be wildly popular—new series debut. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

With her cherubic face, gold curls, sparkly tiara, glass slippers, and meringuelike pink-on-pink ensemble, Princess Magnolia seems the epitome of a "prim and perfect" princess. But she has a secret life, one that involves donning a stylish black costume and defeating monsters (who are more goofy than scary, truth be told) that threaten her kingdom. The Hales (Rapunzel's Revenge) drop narrative breadcrumbs throughout the story, setting up subsequent titles in the planned series, and they build comic tension by alternating scenes of the masked princess's monster-fighting with ones starring Duchess Wigtower, who Princess Magnolia has left waiting back at her castle, and who has a fondness for uncovering secrets. "The Princess in Black hoped the duchess would not snoop," ends chapter six, as the heroine is seen tying up a furry blue monster. "The duchess began to snoop," begins chapter seven. Pham (A Piece of Cake) offers little jolts of energy and wit on every page, with full-page and spot illustrations that have the vivaciousness and irreverence of contemporary animation. Ages 5–8. Authors' agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. Illustrator's agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.)

K-Gr 3—In this atypical princess story, the refined and frilly Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with the proper Duchess Wigtower when suddenly the monster alarm sounds. As readers quickly find out, Princess Magnolia is actually the Princess in Black. She dons a black cape and ninjalike outfit to fights the monsters that come from Monster Land. Her superhero identity is top secret; Duchess Wigtower must not find out. While the Princess in Black wages battle, Duchess Wigtower snoops around her castle, always looking for evidence of the princesses' imperfections. Meanwhile, Duff the goat boy suspects the true identity of the Princess in Black and considers helping her. The colorful illustrations on each page help move readers through the story as the heroic princess saves the day. The action-packed text in this beginner chapter book will enthrall and is ideal for independent reading or reading aloud. The ending leaves readers with just enough of a wink to hint at a future installment. Give this engaging read to fans of "Bink and Gollie" (Candlewick).—Nancy Jo Lambert, McSpedden Elementary Frisco, TX