The Monster Princess

July 5, 2010
Yearning to break free of her life underground, Lala, a young monster with scaly arms and lettuce hair, heads for a mountaintop castle, where she endures public humiliation at the hands of three princesses ("You're a monster forever," they jeer. "Now get out of here!"). The next day, using her insider's knowledge, she rescues the three from a brute with "sour beast-breath," but declines to befriend them even after gratitude makes the princesses relent. Boiger's pastel paintings play up the contrast between the princesses' charmed existence and Lala's comfy burrow, and while MacHale's (the Pendragon series) verse—like his heroine—is a little lumpy, he delivers his message about handling mean girls with sincerity. Ages 4–6.

September 1, 2010
Grades K-1 A potentially didactic story by childrens media veteran MacHale (the Pendragon series, Nickelodeons Are You Afraid of the Dark?, etc.), is saved by a wry text (These maidens were precious as twelve-carat gems. However, this tale is not about them) and endearing illustrations of Lala, a young, furry, brown monster from underground who wishes to become a princess. The trick played on her by three real princesses (dressing her up for a ball only to ridicule her in public) is cruel but rings true to those familiar with the social-pecking-order playground antics of young children. Lalas fluffy green hair, eager grin accented by two delicate fangs, and irrepressible spirit make her a creature kids will root for, even before she uses her monstery skills to save the princesses from a scary beast. Although heroically rescuing those whove tormented her may seem unrealistically optimistic, the resolution satisfies: theyre all friends in the end, with each remaining true to herself.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)