A Royal Disaster

April 15, 2016
In her awkward first year, white Princess Grace faces challenges at Tall Towers Princess Academy.Grace is the 13th princess in a class that traditionally has 12. Her cousin, blonde Princess Precious, is horrified that clumsy Grace is even allowed to attend. But Grace passes the unicorn test --if a unicorn picks a princess (an eyebrow-raising allusion to the unicorn/virgin myth), the princess stays. With numbing predictability, Grace trips, rips, and bumbles her way through lessons: how to curtsey, how to ride her unicorn sidesaddle, how to care a great deal about external appearances. Grace feels out of place; not because, as readers might hope, she sees how repressive all this is, but because she is not good at it. Racial diversity is included in Scott's illustrations, although whites dominate in both numbers and leadership positions. Narratively, stereotypes, like a low-grade fever, pervade: diminutive Izumi is talented and hardworking, while Latisha is "sporty." A proper princess, the girls are taught, is graceful, elegant, courteous, and selfless. The final scene hopes to be empowering but only manages to emphasize gender-role stereotypes as Grace is praised more for helping the (male) knight out of his distress by secretly volunteering in his place than for winning the joust.As a story to teach girls that their proper roles are as appearance-conscious, selfless helpmates, it succeeds insidiously. (Fantasy. 8-10)

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April 1, 2016

Gr 3-5-This first book in a series features princesses both traditional and nontraditional. When Grace arrives as a first year student at the Tall Towers Princess Academy, she doesn't quite fit in. She is clumsy, messy, and unconcerned with the usual "princessy" ways. Most of the other girls make her a figure of mockery, though her two roommates see past her awkwardness to the good, funny, creative person inside. The Fairy Godmothers who run the school reflect the students' differing opinions of Grace. Reluctant readers who like a little princess power will devour this book, relating to its messy protagonist and chuckling at the supporting characters, such as Grace's unicorn, Billy. VERDICT Grace is no precious or pretentious princess. Values such as honor, true friendship, and bravery shine through in this light but enjoyable read.-B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA

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