I Am Mighty! (Princess Truly #6)

K-Gr 2--Spunky Princess Truly, of the magical puffball pigtails, continues her adventures in this illustrated early reader. Three stories show Truly working and imagining her way through physical challenges, engineering problems, and the possibility of failure. In "I Am Strong," Truly tries gymnastics, sets personal goals, and enjoys team sports. In "I Can Do It," Truly's sidekick Noodles the pug jumps almost all the way through a tire swing--and Truly's having a terrible time getting him out! When her pigtails come alive with magical stars, she knows she can save her pug. "I tug and then I twist. My magic curls shine bright. I know I can do this! I pull with all my might." In "I Can Win," Truly and her brother, Ty, are having great fun at a carnival. At one of the games, Truly sees a purple cow she wants. As her lively pigtails sparkle, Truly thinks, "I believe in myself. I'll win that purple cow!" and the reader knows she will succeed. In each chapter, Rauscher's soft, black-outlined watercolor illustrations are paired with two lines of rhyming text. Though the rhythm is sometimes a little tricky, the limited vocabulary and rhymed endings help young readers predict their way through the stories. Greenawalt's nod to the beauty of girls of color offers an opportunity for all children to hone their reading chops. VERDICT Generally useful for collections that feature early readers.--Lisa Lehmuller