Princess Me by Karma Wilson

Princess Me by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Christa Unzer

Rating: 3.5 stars (is it a 5 and I'm just anti-princess?)

Ok, I'm not into princess books. I admit it. I just really shy away from them, and I've been known to sneak them back to the shelves after Lorelei chooses one from the library. It's not that I don't think that there are some redeaming qualities in these books, but...it's just that it's a slippery slope, this whole princess thing. Right? Or am I blowing it out of proportion? That is one of my favorite things to do. But right now as I type this Lorelei sits across from me with Princess Me; the only thing I can see are her little fingers, one of which disappears when she carefully turns a page. This princess book, I like.

First off, it's a poem, like almost all of Karma Wilson's books. Princess Me is a mostly sweet little girl--but she's also known to get "cross or blue"--whose parents are king and queen. I don't mind that reference to me being a queen...maybe that's why I like the book? Princess Me imagines that all her toys and dolls are her entourage, and they wear really beautiful dresses and capes and stuff that Lorelei, whose not exactly into dresses (can't imagine why) is captivated.

I have to add that while I wrote the two short paragraphs above Ben joined Lorelei and me. He's now sitting on a tall dining chair with a book (another Karma Wilson fave in this house, Dinos on the Go) "reading" along with her. If this post is a little skatter-brained it's because my eyes keep darting over to make sure he's still well-balanced on the chair. I better end before he falls off.

One more thought: This is one of my favorite books to give if the little birthday girl is into princesses. I don't want to deny an existing interest (preventing it isn't a big deal, apparently, in my book) so this is my nod to her interest and, usually, an introduction to one of my favorite authors. And sometimes I accompany it with some dirt in a bag so the little birthday princess is introduced to tomboy-hood, too. Just kidding.