A True Princess

January 15, 2011

Incorporating elements from Andersen's "The Princess and the Pea," Norse mythology and European faerie lore, Zahler crams this brisk tale with an amalgam of folklore motifs, stock characters and familiar plot points. The overall story arc is predictable: A mistreated waif runs away from an evil-stepmother equivalent and winds up living happily ever after. Along the way she stumbles into an enchanted forest, escapes both brigands and elves, makes friends with some powerful people and eventually discovers her (predictably royal) identity. Lilia is unexpectedly accompanied by the brother and sister with whom she was raised, but unfortunately Kai and Karina, like the rest of the cast, are flatly drawn. The inclusion of unfamiliar elements, like the nisse, a magical creature who protects a farm and family, and Odin's Hunt, a supernatural event that presages tragedy, add interest, as does Lilia's bold effort to return a crowd of stolen children to their respective families. Ultimately, the narrative feels overstuffed and Lilia never quite manages to become a compelling character. A middling middle-grade muddle. (Fairy tale/fantasy. 9-12)

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March 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-This reinterpretation of "The Princess and the Pea" begins with Lilia running away from the only home she has ever known when she overhears her foster mother planning to send her away to work as a servant. Joined by Karina and Kai, her foster mother's stepchildren, Lilia decides to travel north to see if she can discover her true identity. The three hear stories of the Elf-King and are warned to stay on the road as they travel through the forest, but are forced to flee from bandits and stumble onto the elves' Midsummer celebration. Kai is immediately enthralled by the Elf-King's daughter and forced to stay with her unless Lilia can retrieve a jeweled clasp from the local king's castle. Lilia and Karina start work as maids at the palace and begin their search. The only room they cannot enter is reserved for the young women who arrive at the palace to try the "true princess" test, which no one has yet to win. Eventually they find a way into the room, which has only a bed inside. Karina falls asleep, Lilia doesn't, and this leads to the discovery of her past. It also leads to the discovery of the clasp, Kai's eventual freedom, and the betrothal of Karina and the prince. Readers who enjoyed Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted (HarperCollins, 1997), Zahler's The Thirteenth Princess (HarperCollins, 2010) or E.D. Baker's "Tales of the Frog Princess" series (Bloomsbury) will also relish this tale.-Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2011
In this fairy tale, Lilia is on a quest to locate a jewel that will free her friend Kai from the Elf-King. Meanwhile, Lilia's friend Karina and a prince searching for a "true princess" fall in love (with echoes of "The Princess and the Pea"). Readers who enjoyed Zahler's The Thirteenth Princess will likely appreciate this lighter tale as well.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)