The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas

K-Gr 3—Prince Henrik, a younger brother of the prince from "The Princess and the Pea," is looking for a bride. There's only one problem—though gaggles of flower-throwing girls pursue him, he has difficulty choosing "the one." Soliciting his older brother Hans's advice, he's told that the most important qualities in a "real princess" are beauty and sensitivity, as revealed by the old pea-under-the-mattress test. As he observes Hans's wife, he discovers that "sensitive" really means whiny and demanding and wisely decides that he doesn't wants a "real princess" but instead a girl with a nice smile who would share his interests. As his test, he uses a camping mattress, a sleeping bag, and a packet of frozen peas, getting rid of many bewildered girls. His quest concludes happily when his friend Pippa comes to stay and passes the test with flying colors. DeGennaro's sparely drawn cartoon characters delight with their expressiveness, perfectly complementing Wilson's snarky humor. It's hard not to laugh at the depiction of Hans's snidely sneering spouse "being sensitive about the tennis balls" when they are "too bouncy." Whimsical details are scattered throughout the book—the prince snoozing with field hockey trophies, his sleeping bag covered with "Zs," and, of course, green peas on nearly every page. A lighthearted modern take on the familiar fairy tale, this would be a welcome addition to most collections.—Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY