Of Mice and Magic

Starred review from January 1, 2016
Princess Harriet's second outing takes on the "Twelve Dancing Princesses." Although hamster Harriet is, sadly, no longer invincible, having broken her curse in Harriet the Invincible (2015), she's got a hero's skills after her previous adventures. Seeking new excitement, she encounters a lonely old lady by the side of the road asking for food; genre-savvy Harriet quickly deduces that it's a disguised fairy and complies. She's rewarded with a quest to save 12 mouse princesses, cursed to slip away every night to a mysterious location where they dance right through their slippers. When Harriet suggests that they might like dancing (as she liked her curse) and that it would be rude to just go breaking it without asking them, the fairy tells her that Harriet's kingdom too will face doom--at some unspecified point in the future--unless the curse is broken. Harriet arrives to find the mouse king a despot who inflicts his peculiar organizational whims on his subjects, such as militant matching and forced color coordination of clothing to each room. The princesses--who range in their enjoyment of femininity to stand as foils to tomboyish Harriet--don't like dancing (anymore) or being trapped, clearing Harriet to save the day. While Harriet prizes her physical prowess, Vernon here allows her to show off her smarts as equally impressive. Maintaining a keen balance between silly and sly, this sequel will have readers snickering. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-12)

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Starred review from January 1, 2016

Gr 3-6-Fierce warrior hamster princess Harriet Hamsterbone and her faithful battle-quail, Mumfrey, are itching for adventure mere weeks after obliterating the fairy curse in the first book of the series, Harriet the Invincible (Dial, 2015). Now that she is no longer invincible, she cannot participate in her favorite pastime, cliff diving, and she yearns for a new mighty quest. When a fairy shrew appears, needing her assistance at the Mouse Kingdom, Harriet quickly obliges. She learns of the plight of the 12 dancing princess mice, who are cursed to dance all night, every night. Arriving at the castle armed with a poncho of invisibility, Harriet must find out what is forcing the princesses to dance and break the curse before it's too late. What she unearths is a rodent-tweaked version of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses," in which the 12 princesses, who are named after the months of the year (January, February, March, etc.), seem destined to marry the 12 mole brothers (named after the zodiac signs: Gemini, Pisces, etc.). The generous comic book-like, two-toned illustrations are reminiscent of Vernon's "Dragonbreath" series (Dial) and suit the text perfectly. VERDICT A quick and satisfying read that is as hilarious as it is fun. Make room on the shelves for this not so frilly princess.-Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA

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