The Frog Princess

November 18, 2002
This debut novel follows the adventures of 14-year-old Princess Emeralda and the talking frog she meets one day in a swamp. The frog begs her to give him a kiss so that he will turn back into Prince Eadric, his identity before an evil witch turned him into an amphibian. When the young royal obliges, she,
too, is transformed into a frog, and the two leap off in search of the spell-casting witch to ask her to reverse her handiwork. Describing the duo's futile quest in laborious detail, the author pads her tale with some curiously drab characters, including another witch (who hopes to use Emeralda and Eadric in a spell she's concocting) and a bat and snake who reside in her cottage. The tale occasionally offers peppy dialogue and some comical scenes—particularly as the newly transformed Emeralda adjusts to catching flies with her tongue ("My eye-tongue coordination wasn't very good," she admits). Unfortunately, the plot doesn't make much of the magical elements (for example, the characters' encounters with a dragon and a nymph seem inconsequential), resulting in a disappointingly flat fantasy. Ages 8-14.

August 1, 2005
Gr 4-6 -In E.D. Baker's twist on the classic fairy tale (Bloomsbury, 2002), Princess Emeralda has quite an adventure when she kisses a prince-turned-frog and everything goes terribly awry. The book follows her exciting quest, along with the frog prince Eadric, to transform themselves back into their human selves. The text itself is weak, with poor story logic, many fruitless tangents, and excessive detail. However, the dialogue between the perky princess, her valiant but foolish prince, and some of the other odd characters they encounter is often genuinely funny. Narrator Katherine Kellgren produces a variety of voices that are well tailored to the characters and their personalities. This romantic comedy and non-violent adventure would appeal to youngsters fond of twisted fairy tales, but some of the jokes and sophisticated vocabulary will be beyond the intended audience. -"Jenna Innes, Edmonton Public Library, Alberta, Canada"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

While this twist on the fairy tale "The Frog Prince" is well read by Katherine Kellgren, she sounds too old for 14-year-old Emma. She is convincing as Aunt Christine and other adult witches and at the story's detailed look into a frog's world, including the tastiness of various bugs and descriptions of a frog's slimy skin. As Kellgren successfully contrasts Emma's awkwardness as a princess with her gracefulness as a frog, we grow to appreciate the character's wits and adaptability. Kellgren's delivery of the ending is bouncy as everyone is turned back into humans and lives happily ever after. A.G.H. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine