School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-From "Princess Alice./First to the palace" to "Princess Zaire./Finally there," 26 enthusiastic young royals head to a castle where they have been invited to meet the prince. Each page sports a princess, one for each letter of the alphabet, introduced with a brief rhyming verse and a vibrant cartoon illustration. Adding to the fun is the fact that the prince and all of the other supporting characters are frogs. Horowitz has a light, witty touch, and the text is rich with puns. The words and the pictures play off one another perfectly, encouraging children to pore over each humorously detailed portrait. For example, "Princess Flo./Waiting to go," shows a girl, arms crossed and scowling, sitting in a broken-down carriage, while a perplexed-looking frog, garbed in a mechanic's outfit, stares at a wrench and another holds an instruction sheet ("How to Fix a Wheel"). Princess Nell ("What is that smell?") looks embarrassed after emitting several small pink gas clouds ("toot"), while two frogs, a monk and a knight, react to the odor. When all of the guests finally arrive, the prince isn't sure what he's gotten himself into: "Put 'em all together/and what do you get?/A royal pain in the alphabet!" Packed with child appeal, this offering is appropriate for sharing aloud or for independent perusal.-Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A castle of frogs welcomes twenty-six princesses--Alice through Zaire--as they arrive to meet a (frog) prince. The rhyming text introduces each one ("Princess Olga. Dancing the polka. / Princess Pearl. The littlest girl"), while the lively illustrations convey something of each princess's personality. There's not much of a story; this has a diverting premise but isn't very satisfying overall. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A frog prince lets it be known that he's "receiving," and 26 applicants respond, from Princess Alice ("First to the palace") on through the rest of the letters. The text is all one-line captions. As they make their way successively into the Prince's presence, each of the lasses--variously dressed and with a variety of hair and skin colors--displays an aggressive, larger-than-life personality in the big, comical cartoon portraits. Often they pair off; Princess Heather is "dressed for the weather," but plainly furious Princess Isabella "has no umbrella," for instance, and Princess Xena is "a true ballerina," but clumsy Princess Yvette "isn't one, yet." The royal visits aren't all daintiness and good manners, either; Princess Ruth is "mithing a tooth," Princess Criss isn't the only one who tries to "steal a kiss" and pink clouds floating behind Princess Nell ("What is that smell?") signal alimentary issues. Once Princess Zaire is "finally there," Horowitz assembles them all in a boisterous final foldout as "A royal pain in the alphabet!" Young readers and listeners of both sexes will laugh and agree. (Picture book. 5-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.