Would You Rather Be a Princess or a Dragon?

July 4, 2016
Saltzberg (Inside This Book) uses the title question to upend stereotypes as he contrasts the proclivities of a young redheaded princess with those of a good-natured dragon. Photographic elements lend texture to Saltzberg’s loose cartoons—mottled green rubber evokes dragon scales, pink bubble wrap creates the girl’s bubble bath—as rhyming text offers tips (“If you want to be a princess/ practice walking straight and tall./ If you want to be a dragon, practice bouncing off the wall”) and observations (“A princess loves to smile in a dainty princess way./ A dragon is just wild, being dragony all day”). After recounting the ways in which princesses are dainty and dragons rowdy, Saltzberg shows the princess tossing away her crown (and shoes and socks) to prance on the dragon’s tail, “Because inside every princess is a little dragon child.” And inside every dragon? A princess—if she isn’t careful. (The final image reveals that this one doesn’t need to worry about being digested.) Saltzberg doesn’t push his message too hard, but the book may well lead to valuable conversations about clichés and individuality. Ages 4–7. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

July 1, 2016
Humorous rhymes and comical pictures compare stereotypical expectations of princesses and dragons, ending with a sly observation.On the first verso, a froglike creature is reading a book that is explained on the recto: "Would you rather be a princess or a dragon? You'll never know which one to be until you've tried. / If you want to be a princess or a dragon, here's a book that might help you decide." The text goes on to compare such "truisms" as princesses' preference for the color pink and dragons' for green; bubble baths vs. dirt and dainty eating vs. gorging are a couple of the other sets of oppositions. Striving for consistent rhyme can be a challenge: it's a stretch to think of "a perfect princess wave" as the opposite of looking for "the perfect dragon cave." The rhymes do not always scan well, but the combination of mixed-media cartoon art and lighthearted text will keep young children engaged. The face of the princess is a few shades darker than lily-white, topped by wavy auburn hair; the friendly-appearing dragon seems to be cut from textured green paper, its features inked on top. The use of photographed pink bubble wrap for the princess's bubble bath adds to the frivolous mood. The ending combines a not-very-subtle reminder about the need to question behavioral expectations for children with a sight gag. Fun to read and visually appealing but unlikely to be a perennial favorite. (Picture book. 3-6)

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October 1, 2016

PreS-K-If readers are ever faced with the choice of being a princess or a dragon, Saltzberg's succinct rhyming verse will help them decide the path to select. Princesses enjoy princess things, like the color pink and bubble baths. Dragons, on the other hand, enjoy green and being dirty. Princesses are polite and dragons misbehave. The stereotypes that are illustrated with simple line drawings are made interesting by textures. The green-scaled dragon and pink-swirled princess pop against the stark white background. Children are sure to be pleased with the twist at the end, when the princess needs a break and wants to be a bit wild, "because inside every princess is a little dragon child." And inside every dragon is a little princess waiting to get out. Quite literally, a princess is trying to get out (of the dragon's mouth). VERDICT With the bold illustrations, rhyming short text, and popular subject matter, this book is sure to delight a storytime crowd.-Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services

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