Rani's Remarkable Day
by Saadia Faruqi (Author) Anoosha Syed (Illustrator)
A modern South Asian princess, sparkling writing, lots of humor, and just the right amount of conflict come together for a clever and enchanting friendship story.
Rani lives in a luxurious palace full of busy adults, but she's lonely. Being the only princess in the kingdom is boring, tedious, dull. She has no one to play with--except her baby brother, who doesn't count! So one morning, Rani decides to leave for the beach in search of adventure. She's sure it will be the opposite of her life in the palace: wonderful, marvelous, fun! But in the world outside the palace walls, Rani isn't a princess anymore, she's just a kid who's not so great at building sandcastles. And what she finds there is something she didn't even know she was looking for: a friend.
Set in a vibrant South Asian-inspired world, this story of a strong-willed princess from two award-winning picture book creators is full of wordplay, heart, and humor.
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Publishers Weekly
Faruqi encourages social risk-taking in this flatly empowering picture book via a royal protagonist who ventures beyond the isolation of palace life and discovers camaraderie. For Princess Rani, who reads as South Asian, "being the only princess in/ the kingdom was boring,/ tedious,/ dull." Attempts to play with her mother (busy planning a new highway), father (busy considering food for a party), and the prime minister (just busy) fall flat, so the determined child takes things into her own hands. Though the prime minister is horrified that Rani might interact with "everyday people," she heads to the beach with Prince Baby, where a rival sandcastle-builder eventually morphs into a playmate: in order to overcome loneliness, she endeavors to "take a risk,/ work together,// make a friend." Adjective trios ("valiant,// brave,/ courageous!") enliven uncomplicated plotting. Heavy on pink, Syed's animation-style digital illustrations add a dose of comedy with their depiction of Rani's bodyguards' seaside antics. Ages 4-8. (May)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV030020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Asia
