Quick Booktalk
It's not easy being a princess, and Princess Charming has yet to discover her special talent, but she is determined never to give up. When a celebrity comes to the castle, Princess Charming thinks this might be her time to shine, but her dog, Luna, might have other plans.About the Illustrations
The pictures for this book are largely group scenes, catching Princess Charming in the middle of catastrophic attempts to find her special ability, and showing the reactions of others.The illustrator also works in animation, and this is definitely evident in her style.
Story Time Illustrations
The first-person point of view makes this feel like a natural read-aloud. The story dragged a bit for me in the middle, but readers who love princess books probably won't mind a few extra pages about this character, so that's unlikely to be a problem for kids. There is also a really fun twist at the end for kids who know their fairy tales. In terms of themes, this could work for fairy tales, princesses, castles, trying new things, and perseverance.
Reader's Advisory
The author of this book is the host of the podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books, and this is her first picture book. I wouldn't quite put it in the category of a celebrity-authored picture book, but it does seem to lack something in the same way that kids' books by celebrities often do. It just doesn't feel quite polished. I will probably go ahead and let my kids read it because there certainly isn't anything objectionable in it, but it's not one we will be keeping for the long haul.
Disclosure
I received a review copy of Princess Charming from Flamingo Books in exchange for an honest review.