Not all princesses dress in pink
(Book)

Yolen, her daughter/occasional collaborator Stemple (The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories), and Lanquetin (Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins) turn noblesse oblige on its head with this tribute to girl power. "Some princesses roll around,/ wrestling on the muddy ground," asserts the text, as one such young lady frolics with some rambunctious dogs, "then get right up to skip and dance/ in tattered, stained, and muddy pants,/ and a sparkly crown." The crown, which serves as both a goes-witheverything accessory and a refrain, reminds readers that femininity can encompass all kinds of behavior, including the savoring of messy food, using power tools, "moving dirt," and bike-riding. Lanquetin tucks sly fairy tale references into her digital artwork: rather than riding to a ball in a pumpkin coach, a group of girls tends to a pumpkin patch, while another princess-no Rapunzel-leaves a tower via monkey bars. The empowerment theme probably won't be a revelation to most members of the latest generation of very young women-"You go, girl" is practically their birthright-but the snappy, upbeat illustrations and blithely confident characters are plenty of fun. Ages 3-6. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

PreS-Gr 1-This rhyming antidote to the many cloying princess books asserts that "Some [princesses] play in bright red socks that stink,/blue team jerseys that don't quite fit,/ accessorized with a baseball mitt,/and a sparkly crown." This is followed by spreads showing girls riding bikes, doing carpentry, and getting muddy while dancing with dogs in the rain-all while wearing their crowns. There's not really a story in this smoothly written yet somewhat didactic narrative, but the message is one worth hearing, and the whimsy is appealing. Some of the details in the colorful, computer-generated illustrations, in particular the girls' facial expressions, are a bit lacking, but the book's overall design is attractive.-Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Some princesses roll around, / wrestling on the muddy ground." A series of tight rhymes describe plain-clothed modern-day "princesses" playing soccer, wielding tools, etc., each with (let it be noted) "a sparkly crown" set primly atop her head. The book doesn't end memorably, but throughout it makes its ever-important girl-power point with panache and, thanks to Lanquetin's dynamic art, pizazz. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Mother-daughter team Yolen and Stemple get right to the point: "Not all princesses dress in pink. / Some play in bright red socks that stink, // blue team jerseys that don't quite fit, / accessorized with a baseball mitt / and a sparkly crown." In upbeat rhyme, they proceed to describe other princesses who roll in the mud, use power tools, play sports, plant flowers and drive dump trucks, all dressed in myriad colorful outfits (but none of them pink!) and sparkly crowns (always rendered in a cursive typeface). At day's end, the princesses gather at a ball where they "waltz in red, fox trot in blue, / they reel in plaid and polka dots, too. / And in those grand and fancy halls, / one even hip-hops in her overalls // and a very sparkly princess crown. " Lanquetin's digitally rendered illustrations depict girls of all shapes, sizes and colors; they are mischievous, exuberant, dirty, exhausted, serious and, most of all, authentic. A joyful and much-needed antidote to the precious pink pestilence that has infested picture books aimed at girls. (Picture book. 4-8) ]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Yolen, her daughter/occasional collaborator Stemple (The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories), and Lanquetin (Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins) turn noblesse oblige on its head with this tribute to girl power. "Some princesses roll around,/ wrestling on the muddy ground," asserts the text, as one such young lady frolics with some rambunctious dogs, "then get right up to skip and dance/ in tattered, stained, and muddy pants,/ and a sparkly crown." The crown, which serves as both a goes-witheverything accessory and a refrain, reminds readers that femininity can encompass all kinds of behavior, including the savoring of messy food, using power tools, "moving dirt," and bike-riding. Lanquetin tucks sly fairy tale references into her digital artwork: rather than riding to a ball in a pumpkin coach, a group of girls tends to a pumpkin patch, while another princess--no Rapunzel--leaves a tower via monkey bars. The empowerment theme probably won't be a revelation to most members of the latest generation of very young women--"You go, girl" is practically their birthright--but the snappy, upbeat illustrations and blithely confident characters are plenty of fun. Ages 3–6. (June)

PreS-Gr 1—This rhyming antidote to the many cloying princess books asserts that "Some [princesses] play in bright red socks that stink,/blue team jerseys that don't quite fit,/ accessorized with a baseball mitt,/and a sparkly crown." This is followed by spreads showing girls riding bikes, doing carpentry, and getting muddy while dancing with dogs in the rain—all while wearing their crowns. There's not really a story in this smoothly written yet somewhat didactic narrative, but the message is one worth hearing, and the whimsy is appealing. Some of the details in the colorful, computer-generated illustrations, in particular the girls' facial expressions, are a bit lacking, but the book's overall design is attractive.—Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL