The Very Fairy Princess

Young Alison Cordaro's narration is pitch-perfect as she portrays Princess Geraldine, who reigns her kingdom in a take-charge kind of way. Geraldine may prefer pink, but she's also unafraid to skin her knees or rescue frogs, and she's quite clear that cultivating one's "inner sparkle" is what's most important. Cordaro gives dimension to Geraldine's imaginative world in a charming voice that doesn't succumb to being cutesy. The production is further enhanced by a terrific interview with the mother-daughter writing team, who discuss their character and collaborations, as well as their delight in Cordaro's depiction of Geraldine. An interview with the talented young narrator herself follows. Listeners will be entertained AND educated. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

April 19, 2010
Geraldine, this book's redheaded heroine, may look like an ordinary girl, but she harbors no doubts about her magical royal status: “I FEEL it inside—a sparkling feeling of just KNOWING in my heart.” With great powers, however, come great responsibilities. A fairy princess must always wear her crown (“You never know who you might bump into... even on the stairs), shore up her mere mortal friends (“YOU sparkle when you play the trombone,” she tells one), and always be on the lookout for problems to solve, like an escaped classroom hamster. Andrews and Hamilton's narrative voice, a mixture of self-assured proclamations and parenthetical confidences, is fun, and for every reference to glitter, tutus, and sparkle, there are examples of the heroine's rough-and-tumble side (sliding down a banister or pursuing a frog across a stream). Davenier's (Just Like a Baby
) luminous and empathic watercolors act like fairy wings on this story. Even though the pictures are predominantly pink, there's nothing pale about Davenier's characterization; Geraldine radiates noblesse oblige, heedless energy, and a sense of destiny—she's Eloise crossed with Hillary Clinton. Ages 3–6.