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The Princess's Blankets

by Catherine Ryan Hyde
40p. 978-0-76364-547-2.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 4 If ever a picture book deserved to be called "overwrought," it is this one. The pseudo-fairy tale centers around a princess who is always cold (which reminds us of fairy-tale princesses who never laugh and their ilk) and the king's promise of a reward for anyone who can cure her (which reminds us of too many fairy tales to count). After the customary useless attempts, a mysterious, magical stranger appears who seems more bent on destroying the princess than on saving her. He lays blankets of the ocean, forest, mountain, and earth upon hersymbolically raping the country of its livelihood and treasure in an attempt to conquer her spirit. But, hark! A kindhearted musician happens along. He falls instantly in love with the princess and charms and woos her. The blankets fall off, one by one, as she succumbs to his kisses and, well, she marries him. All of this is illustrated with sumptuous, deeply textured paintings that feature copious amounts of metal leaf, which may endear them to those who love glitter. It's all too much. And unnecessary."Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
A king offers a reward to whoever can warm his daughter, who's always cold. A stranger with dubious motives brings her blankets culled from nature, but it's the love of a musician that finally saves the day. Poetic but turgid, this original fairy tale holds little appeal for younger readers. In the striking illustrations, dark acrylics, flecked with metal, reveal the princess's pale face.

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