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Collections and Retellings
Chrysalis Children's Books
Hardback £14.99
ISBN: 1843650258
Reviewed by Jenny Alexander
[Armadillo 6.4 Winter 2004]
This book contains seven stories about princesses from around the world, with a great deal of pink and a bit of sparkle on the cover. You might think how could it miss? Well, the problem is that it's by no means clear who it's aimed at.
The book is picture book size, but the text would challenge even the most able 10 year old, with words like "hors d'oeuvres" and "sumptuous repast" coming thick and fast. In the illustrations, some of the princesses look like adults and others like young children.
Most of the stories open with the author voice, either telling us what the moral will be in advance (and repeating it at the end, - which I thought was rather over-egging the pudding) or commenting on what a nice story we're about to hear. I found this device quite off-putting.
It's a great idea for a book and a nice choice of stories, but for this reviewer I'm afraid it misses the mark.