Princess Patty Meets Her Match

October 13, 2014
“One Day Your Prince Will Come,” reads a large motivational painting in Princess Patty’s castle, but she’s tired of waiting. Heading out into the world with her “super-sparkly knapsack,” she encounters three blustery princes who insist she fall in line with their fairy-tale scenarios of rescue, only to reveal that they’re incapable of following through without Patty’s help (which encompasses everything from dragon-hunting tips to a gift of lip balm). The final prince she meets dispenses with any pretense—he insists Patty accept that he’s poor, cowardly, ordinary, and “terribly hungry” to boot. Bingo! Patty is smitten. The ostensible empowerment message, vivaciously girly cartooning, and what is by now standard-issue irreverence (“You princesses all look alike,” complains Patty’s Fairy Godmother, who also gets some life coaching from Patty) may be enough for some readers. But Harper (Go! Go! Go! Stop!) has replicated an all-too-familiar character type: her competent princess has little personality beyond being a whiz at helping goofy, schlubby boys become more fully realized people. Ages 3–5. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency.

October 1, 2014
When her Prince Charming fails to materialize, Princess Patty takes matters into her own hands. Weary waiting for her prince to come, Princess Patty dons her "favorite comfy shoes" and "super-sparkly knapsack" and begins the quest to find her prince. She rejects a prince who offers a glass slipper and tries to yank off her shoe. She rejects a foolish prince who thinks he's fighting dragons by snaring dragonflies in a net. She's not interested in a prince who wants to wake her with a kiss, as she's already awake, and he has chapped lips. She avoids a prince stashing peas under a stack of mattresses and opts not to kiss a potential frog prince. Even the fairy godmother she meets is too confused to help her. Discouraged by the pool of princes, Princess Patty returns to her castle, where she finally finds her perfect match. Simple, childlike illustrations rely on pastel hues, precise lines and decorative patterns to create a fairy-tale innocence, tracking Princess Patty's quest across a landscape of stylized castles, hills, flowers and trees. Wearing high-top sneakers, a flowered tunic and sparkly backpack, Princess Patty resembles a savvy contemporary girl who knows what she wants far better than the traditional fairy-tale princess. This proactive princess will captivate readers with her charmingly unconventional tale. (Picture book. 3-5)

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October 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-Princess Patty is bored waiting for her promised prince to come. Taking action, she gathers up essentials in her "super sparkly" knapsack and, with her pet starfish, Miss Loverpuff, and comfy walking shoes, she hits the road to find him. Many classic fairy-tale tropes are woven in as she tries to find her "just right" prince, offering predictability while still allowing for a little surprise. Princess Patty meets a pushy shoe shover who hasn't learned to untie laces (and she's not interested in a glass slipper), a delirious dragon catcher, and an eager kisser, and witnesses frogs begging to be kissed, long hair climbers, and princes who put food under mattresses (gross). Just as she is about to give up, she meets a prince who warns her that he is incapable of doing any of those things, but, like her, is terribly hungry. Libraries can never have too many titles to meet the demand for stories featuring plucky princesses, and this one nails the intended audience with the need for pink and an offbeat fashion sense. Harper's bright colors and familiar cartoon characters (Fashion Kitty, Just Grace) fit the playful tone of the story, where rich backgrounds are layered with action and with new things to find in each inevitable rereading.-Danielle Jones, Multnomah County Library, OR

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