Princesses Are Not Just Pretty

PreS-Gr 3—Princess fans will adore the return of Allie, Mellie, and Libby as they compete for the title of prettiest princess. Allie dotes on her freckles, claiming "I am the prettiest. It's my freckles, the way they sprinkle my cheeks like cinnamon. Everyone loves cinnamon!" Libby proclaims, "I am the prettiest. It's no use denying it. It's my nose, you see-the way it pokes up at the end is just adorable." Of course Mellie chimes in, declaring, "I am the prettiest. It isn't everyone who has purple hair, you know. It's extra special." On the way to the beauty contest, each princess encounters some type of obstacle. Allie puts out a fire at the palace bakery, Libby must save a little girl's kitten that fell in the water, and Mellie must help a small boy gather his runaway piglets. When they show up for the prettiest contest drippy, muddy, and messy, the judges state, "You have all shown us princesses are not just pretty!" A bit moralistic, but readers will cheer as all three princesses are deemed winners not based on how they look but what they have done to help others. Watercolor illustrations swell with poofy dresses, towering hair, and playful antics, adding spiffy dogs and cats primping in the mix. This is an entertaining story for picture book collections.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI