Princess in Training

K-Gr 2—Viola Louise Hassenfeffer is not an ordinary princess. She spends her time diving into the moat, skateboarding, and karate-chopping. Wanting to fit in, she immediately signs up for Camp Princess, which promises to make her the darling of her kingdom. At camp, Viola tries very hard to learn the royal wave, but the addition of a karate chop is frowned upon. During the runway portion of the Frills of Fashion, she decides to cool off with a dive into the moat and is told royalty doesn't dive. While trying to dazzle during dance lessons, she adds a bit of skateboard flair that is deemed unacceptable. Poor Viola is feeling like a failure by time the Royal Bash begins, but it turns out to be her time to shine. When a big, green dragon shows up, she gives him a solid karate chop, douses his flames with a dive into the fountain, and then skateboards circles around him until he collapses with a resounding thunk. The extraordinary princess then becomes the darling of her kingdom just as she is. The illustrations kick this familiar theme up a notch. Berger's comic-book-like panels for the action sequences are exciting, and one of Viola's karate chops is practically 3-D. Oversize action words like "Hi-Yah!," "Zip! Zup! Zoom!," and "Splash!" round out the fun. Observant readers will get a glimpse of the green dragon before his grand entrance. A good choice for a "be-true-to-yourself"- themed storytime or for anyone looking for a fun read.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH