Olivia and the Fairy Princesses

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses
by Ian Falconer
Atheneum, 2012. Unpaged. Picture Book

Olivia is depressed, but when her father tries to cheer her up by telling her she will always be his little princess, she reveals the root of her depression: all the little girls want to be fairy princesses. Not Olivia. At Pippa's birthday party she feels somehow out of place in her "simple French sailor shirt, matador pants, black flats," as pink fairy after pink fairy twirls around her. Olivia considers alternative princesses--Thai, Chinese, African--but wants to adopt a starker, more modernist style, a la Martha Graham. Finally after considering a number of other options, Olivia lights upon the perfect ambition. She doesn't want to be a princess, she wants to be . . . . And you must read this funny, funny book to find out what. All the Olivia books are my favorites, but this is my new favorite favorite Olivia book.

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