Princess Tales: Once Upon a Time in Rhyme with Seek-And-Find Pictures

Fairy tales often involve transformation, and Maccarone converts 10 familiar stories into swiftly moving and skillfully constructed iambic tetrameter poems. Despite the brevity of the retellings, Maccarone retains subtle moments of drama and humor; in "Cinderella," she writes, "In disbelief, the prince ran, too, / He lost the girl, but found a shoe." Contributing delicate ink-and-watercolor paintings (which incorporate multiple objects for readers to locate), de Marcken smartly moves several of the stories outside Europe: "The Princess and the Frog" is set in China, and the African heroine of "The Princess and the Pea" is shown climbing onto a towering pile of boldly patterned mattresses. Although the rhymes can repeat themselves ("said," "wed," "wife," and "life" come up often), it's a minor quibble in what's otherwise a splendid reimagining of favorite stories. Ages 4-6. (Oct.)

Gr 3-5—This inventive book pairs 10 familiar stories retold in verse with seek-and-find illustrations. For example, "Cinderella" is illustrated through one dramatic, watercolor and ink spread that depicts Cinderella running away from the ball toward her pumpkin coach. Readers are invited to find fiddlers, a wand, and a see-through shoe, among other items. Plenty of lively details, including references to other fairy tales and nursery rhymes, enliven each colorful picture, but the rhymes are abrupt and sometimes forced. ("'Be mine, ' said he. 'Oh, yes, ' she said./The happy couple now is wed.") The fun lies in the art. In some selections, the tale has a new locale. "The Princess and the Frog" has a Chinese setting complete with pagoda, dragon kite, and pandas, while "The Princess and the Pea" takes place in an ornate African court. The narratives are undistinguished, but this new twist on picture puzzle books should entertain a wide audience of fairy tale readers.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Grades K-3. Part storybook, part picture puzzle, this collection features 10 of the most popular princess tales, including “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” and “Sleeping Beauty.” Each is told in verse in a spread or two and is accompanied by astonishingly intricate watercolor paintings. The brief retellings are serviceable as an introduction to or refresher in the traditional tales; unfortunately, some rhymes feel forced or fall in awkward spots in the sentence, throwing off the cadence, such as in “Thumbelina”: “From a seed of barleycorn, / Thumbelina would be born. / The seed was planted. Then in two / months’ time, a yellow flower grew.” Each spread includes a list of items readers will find as they examine the atmospheric illustration. In fact, children will discover many details to delight them, such as characters and scenes from other familiar stories and rhymes. The creators cleverly switch up the settings in a couple of cases, too, placing “The Princess and the Pea” in an African palace and “The Princess and the Frog” in China. Inventive and engaging.

Copyright 2014 Booklist, LLC Used with permission.

"These are paintings to pore over: depictions of familiar fairy tales in sometimes unusual settings that are each filled with tiny seek-and-find details meant to entrance 3- to 8-year-olds. The accompanying text by Grace Maccarone rattles along in droll rhyme that is a pleasure to read aloud (though in print so small that adults may do some poring themselves)." —The Wall Street Journal

"A splendid reimagining of favorite stories." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This inventive book pairs 10 familiar stories retold in verse with seek-and-find illustrations. ...The fun lies in the art. In some selections, the tale has a new locale. 'The Princess and the Frog' has a Chinese setting complete with pagoda, dragon kite, and pandas, while 'The Princess and the Pea' takes place in an ornate African court." —School Library Journal

"Inventive and engaging." —Booklist

"A classic collection that can be recommended for public library and home collections." —Children's Literature