The Princess in Black

The Princess in Black
by Dean and Shannon Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Candlewick, 2014. 90 pgs. Intermediate

Princess Magnolia, dressed in pinkety-pink-pink-pink is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when the call comes in on Magnolia's glitterstone ring (Brring! Brring!). A monster has invaded the kingdom and Princess Magnolia must swiftly and secretly ditch the duchess and become The Princess in Black, the masked crusader who alone can save the two frightened goats who are about to be swallowed by a large blue monster. The P in B has no problem driving off the monster; her trouble now is that the nosy duchess is searching the castle in her absence to discover whatever secrets she can (everybody has them) about Princess Magnolia. Magnolia hastens home, but too late to keep Duchess Wigtower from discovering a pair of black stockings! What to do? The Hales' sparkling early reader has a "whew!" of an ending, which young readers should discover with delight. Parents often ask for beginning chapter books that lie somewhere between easy readers and regular chapter books. The Princess in Black should fit that bill nicely, with many large colorful illustrations and an easily accessible text.

Comments

Display: Dino-mite Reads

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs By Mo Willems New York: Balzar + Bray, 2012. Picture Book. "Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur . . . and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. One day--for no particular reason--they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then--for no particular reason--they decided to go . . . someplace else. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not!" --Editor Smart Vs. Strong! Written by Jill Esbaum Illustrated by Miles Thompson New York: Simon Spotlight, 2021. Easy Reader. 64 pages. "When Thunder gets stuck in quicksand, Cluck uses his smarts to free his friend." --Editor How Dinosaurs Went Extinct Written by Ame Dyckman Illustrated by Jennifer Harney New York: Brown and Company, 2023. Picture Book. "When a child in a museum asks how dinosaurs became extinct, Dad co

From Story Time: The Letter "W"

Preschool Time Something Wild By Molly Ruttan New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2022. Picture Book. Hannah's performance jitters about her violin recital lead to some imaginative what ifs before she finds her confidence. --Editor Preschool Time There's a Dodo on the Wedding Cake Written by Wade Bradford Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2021. Picture Book. For his return visit to the wacky Sharemore Hotel, Mr. Snore will be playing his violin at a fancy wedding. As he waits for his cue to join the ceremony, he admires the wedding cake . . . and notices that he's not alone in ogling that tower of frothy perfection. Is that a dodo, eating one of the frosting roses? As more and more creatures enter the scene--including two beavers, a boa constrictor, and a bunch of bats--it's hard to tell who's a guest and who's a pest. But Mr. Snore, rushing the cake trolley from room to room, is going to do his heroic best to save that prize from sure d

Review: How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest?

How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest? Written by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe Illustrated by Aaron Cushley Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2023. Informational. In this fascinating nonfiction adventure, unique forms of transportation like hot air balloons and zeppelins take readers to 12 of the most extreme locations on Earth and beyond. As the adventurer arrives in each new locale, from Lake Maracaibo--the world's most electric place--to Zavodovski Island--the world's stinkiest place--they are fully immersed into the scene around them. The text describes the distinctive sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and sensations characteristic to each place, supported by the delightful illustrations. Each stop also shares stories of real adventurers braving the elements. Readers big and small will learn something new in this exciting armchair adventure. The real adventurer anecdotes highlight both well-known and less-discussed figures, of diverse backgrounds and abilities. The illustrations provide ev

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog