Princess Truly in My Magical, Sparkling Curls

November 13, 2017
In this follow-up to 2017’s Princess Truly in I Am Truly, the effervescent African-American heroine takes her self-esteem to new levels: “I love my fluffy, puffy curls./ I’m so happy they are mine./ When I believe in myself,/ They shimmer and they shine.” Not only do her curls sparkle like firecrackers, they are also able to transport her to a multitude of locations: Rauscher’s sunny watercolors show Princess Truly meeting friendly dinosaurs in a prehistoric past, exploring undersea depths in a purple submarine, and venturing into the cosmos where she starts a rock band with a group of aliens. Princess Truly’s affirmations can get a bit repetitive, yet girls whose personalities are as buoyant as hers will welcome this gleeful celebration of self-confidence and black girl magic. Ages 3–5.

December 1, 2017
This latest installment in the whimsical Princess Truly series explores the magic potential of Afro hair.Princess Truly, a young brown girl styling a purple tutu, green tennis shoes, a white shirt with black stripes, and two shimmering puffballs in her hair, begins her first-person narration extolling the wonders of her "fluffy, puffy curls" that shine and shimmer when she believes in herself. In this adventure tale, her hair opens up portals into other worlds--worlds where she can ride a dinosaur, play hide-and-seek near a volcano, visit the pyramids with camels (where she can interpret hieroglyphics), and reach the depths of the sea in a purple, fish-shaped submarine. This fantasy story of a little brown girl with magical hair flips the script on negative cultural messages about nappy hair, giving kids with tight coils reasons not only to be proud of their hair, but to see it as a magical asset with the power to make fun happen. Young readers will enjoy following the princess's closest animal companions, who later appear in her cozy bedroom. Rauscher's sprightly watercolor illustrations strike an appropriate balance between pages awash with color and those with expanses of white space. Although the rhyming poetry is somewhat uneven, fans of this series will appreciate taking this latest journey with Princess Truly. A home-away-home tale worth the trip. (Picture book. 3-5)

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