The Very Fairy Princess (Very Fairy Princess)

Geraldine, this book's redheaded heroine, may look like an ordinary girl, but she harbors no doubts about her magical royal status: I FEEL it inside-a sparkling feeling of just KNOWING in my heart. With great powers, however, come great responsibilities. A fairy princess must always wear her crown (You never know who you might bump into... even on the stairs), shore up her mere mortal friends (YOU sparkle when you play the trombone, she tells one), and always be on the lookout for problems to solve, like an escaped classroom hamster. Andrews and Hamilton's narrative voice, a mixture of self-assured proclamations and parenthetical confidences, is fun, and for every reference to glitter, tutus, and sparkle, there are examples of the heroine's rough-and-tumble side (sliding down a banister or pursuing a frog across a stream). Davenier's ("Just Like a Baby") luminous and empathic watercolors act like fairy wings on this story. Even though the pictures are predominantly pink, there's nothing pale about Davenier's characterization; Geraldine radiates noblesse oblige, heedless energy, and a sense of destinyx-she's Eloise crossed with Hillary Clinton. Ages 3-6. "(May)"

Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1As any library staff member will tell you, there can never be too many princess stories. While this collaboration between Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Hamilton, does not stand out as anything particularly different, it does have enough sparkle to keep young readers interested. Geraldine leads a rather ordinary life, and each page highlights a part of her mundane day. However, in the grand tradition of other literary, bedazzled mini-divas, Geraldine's imagination and love for the color pink brighten the daily grind of being a scab-kneed little girl. Readers will enjoy Geraldine's princess attitude and the vibrant fantasy brought to life through Davenier's ink and colored pencil illustrations. However, for girly girl stories with a bit more attitude, stick with reigning princesses Eloise, Fancy Nancy, and Olivia."Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.