Gracie, The Pixie of the Puddle [Hardcover]

Donna Jo Napoli (Author), Judy Schachner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

The acclaimed Donna Jo Napoli's beloved and hilarious series about Pin, the (frog) Prince of the Pond, continues with more funny language, wild adventure, and magic. As Gracie the frog picks up the story, she knows her friend Jimmy is special, but even she can't believe his wild stories about his human father and his own adventures as a boy in the palace. Still, she follows him when he leaves the pond. But can she overcome a wicked hag-turned-crocodile, a bratty princess, a menacing cook, and her own froggy instincts to rescue Jimmy and win his love? Slapstick antics and a rich, tender tone will reward the many fans of this funny, touching series, praised by Kirkus Reviews for its "endearing screwball charm."

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–This third book in a series that extrapolates on "The Frog Prince" is narrated by Gracie, a small and curious frog who is powerfully attracted to Jimmy, a talented, handsome, altruistic amphibian who is actually part human. Gracie braves the dangers of snakes, a crocodile, humans, and possible dehydration–not to mention exposure to magic–to prove the depths of her feelings for Jimmy and to help him realize how he feels about her. This lighthearted fantasy is a quick read that juxtaposes biological facts about frogs with conventions of fairy tales. The characters are broadly drawn, but this is appropriate for the genre. Though the title does not stand well on its own, it will be greatly enjoyed by children familiar with the The Prince of the Pond (Dutton, 1992).–Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. Those funny "fawgs" are baaaaack! In this "second sequel" to The Prince of the Pond (1993), Napoli takes the tale a generation further. Frog Gracie knows there's something special about her best friend, Jimmy, who claims that his father is a human prince. In first-person voice, intrepid hopper Gracie relates her dangerous journey to rescue Jimmy after he is taken to the nearby palace to find a magic ring that has something to do with it all. As she hops along, she encounters a satisfyingly odd assortment of characters--among them, a hag turned into a crocodile (a hag-croc) and a male frog who is a fascinating conversationalist--and a bucketful of adages about frog behavior keeps the action jumping with surprises. Unlike the first book, this one is not illustrated, but extra leading gives the text a spacious look and bordered pages contribute to an appealing design. No warts on this convincing, funny, and cunning tale. Children are in for just plain fun. Julie Cummins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525472649
• ISBN-13: 978-0525472643
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #918,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For all information about Donna Jo Napoli (books, events, biography, awards, contact information), please go to http://www.donnajonapoli.com