Rating: 4.5 stars
Lorelei and I went for a "girls outing" today to Barnes and Noble. I had seen this book a few days before, on my morning out--I spent two hours of it at the bookstore, and part of that in the children's section. That's when I found this book. I'm not a huge Jane Yolen fan (though she's hailed as the "Hans Christian Anderson" of America), but this one I really liked.
Because it's the anti-princess princess book! And that's why I really do love it.
Each page shows a different girl or group of girls doing something tomboy-ish or something that's traditionally ungirly. They swap fancy shoes for soccer cleats or use power tools to build boats or cars. The text is a long, fun poem with lines like: "Some princesses wear their jewels / while fixing things with power tools." The last page is a dance party, where all the princesses bust their moves on the dance floor, including one that hip-hops in overalls. Ha! Love it! And in all the beautiful pages, all of the anti-princesses wear sparkling crowns.
I nearly shoved the book onto Lorelei, but she did end up choosing the book when I asked her what she'd like me to read to her. Of course, it was a) only after reading the requisite Dora book (ugh) and the other princess book I found by Julie Andrews, The Very Fairy Princess
, b) because it was a princess book that she wanted to read it. She listened dutifully and then went back to playing with the train table. I asked her if she liked it and she said, "Not really. Princesses do wear pink, you know."Sigh. The princess marketing blitz has already seeped into my sweet 3 year old. I will keep fighting back! I will win! I will win!
