Princess Juniper of Torr

April 15, 2017
Having ruled a community of children for a month, a princess heads home to free her kingdom from enemy invaders.When Princess Juniper received a "brand-new, all-kids country" for her 13th birthday (Princess Juniper of the Hourglass, 2015), she created a romantic valley settlement for her 13 subjects; encountering the Anju, the reclusive, tribal culture of her late mother, she befriended them (Princess Juniper of the Anju, 2016). Now her father's been overthrown by enemies back at the real castle, so she plots "How to Overthrow a Palace When You Are Understaffed, Underarmed, and Underaged." Juniper's team--including a deaf spy who lip-reads implausibly well but also signs and uses a patch of dark fabric stuck to her arm for writing on with chalk--haunts the castle's hidden hallways and causes "little pranks and mischiefs" until they can manage a true upheaval. Twists and traitors abound, but between luxurious details (foods; a bone-handled comb always in Juniper's sleeve) and Paquette's playful diction ("spizzerinctum"; "curiously curious"; "Ruffians we have aplenty"), the vibe is "energetic mayhem" or "showtime!"--never scary. The narrative pace meanders a bit; the appeal is situation and intent more than action. The Anju have only a small role, though it's still highly problematic for an indigenous-coded group to be at Juniper's beck and call, even with their blood connection. Everyone besides mixed-race Juniper and the Anju is white. For fans of old-style stories. (map, cast of characters) (Fantasy. 8-11)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Juniper, ruler of Queen's Basin, is setting off to recapture the city of Torr and free the rightful ruler, her father, King Regis. At her side are her motley crew of 12 subjects, all under the age of 13. What could go wrong? Well, her devious cousin could ostensibly abandon them to betray them to his father and stepmother, Malavina, the usurpers of the crown. No worries! Juniper will make it work. Off she and her subjects go into the crowds of the big Summerfest, with half of them infiltrating the castle and half becoming a merry band of acrobats performing at the festival. By spying and gathering information, they hope to learn enough to outwit and overcome the lies Malavina has been spreading about King Regis. Along the way, they realize that some of their friends cannot be trusted. This third and last installment of the series picks right up in the middle of the action and takes readers on a whirlwind journey to wrap the story up in a satisfying and peaceful way. The personalities of the characters shine through, as in the previous books, and Paquette shows that though Juniper is ready to be a princess again, she has grown and changed as a result of her experiences. VERDICT An exciting conclusion to a strong, smart princess series. Readers of the previous volumes will be hankering for the ending, and those who are new will want to start at the beginning to get the full story.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

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