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

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