Jimmy, the Pickpocket of the Palace [Paperback]

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

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1995 | Age Level: 8 and up

The hag casts her spell on Jimmy, the frog-son of the frog prince, who sets out for the palace--and some unnerving experiences--in search of the strange and kindly prince who can resolve his dilemma, in the sequel to The Prince of the Pond.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Napoli picks up where she left off in The Prince of the Pond, in which a prince turned frog regains his royal corpus only after starting a large and loving frog family. The star of this new adventure is Jimmy, the prince's frog son, who attempts to save the pond from a witch's wicked machinations. His mission leads him to a nearby palace, where an encounter with an ill-tempered princess transforms him into a human boy (being told to stand up, Jimmy confides, "Slowly I straightened my legs. Standing was so strange. Even with my human body, I didn't see why people did it"). Misunderstandings pile up in this lighthearted romp, only to be swept away with comic legerdemain. The bittersweet undertones of the first novel (and of Napoli's even more memorable The Magic Circle) are replaced by broad humor and almost slapstick sequences. Sure to amuse the target audience. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?Pin, the Prince of the Pond (Dutton, 1992), left his frog family unintentionally in Napoli's first amphibious plunge when he was kissed by Marissa, a princess. Now his venturesome son Jimmy leaves home to find the magic ring that will save the family pond from the curse of their old nemesis, the hag. As he hops into the palace, he is captured by the hapless princess Sally, Marissa's preteen sister. When Sally kisses his wounded leg, Jimmy finds himself in unsteady human form. The kindest of the palace inhabitants is Marissa's husband-to-be, a prince whose unusual empathy with frogs includes a taste for bugs. Jimmy must betray this friend to steal the magic ring from his pocket. Of course, the prince is Pin, who faces a bittersweet choice between his human and frog lives and loves. Napoli balances the comic possibilities of Jimmy's struggles with his human form with his deeper feeings of loyalty, courage, and honor. In an echo of his father's plight, he has two female admirers?Gracie, a frog, and Sally, whose rough handling spells doom for all pets. The ultimate strength of the book lies in Napoli's rich descriptive powers that include a respect for biological accuracy. Schachner's black-and-white illustrations enhance especially the transformation from frightened frog to goggle-eyed boy. This sequel is as engaging and unpredictable as its predecessor.?Sally Margolis, Deerfield Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (May 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525453571
• ISBN-13: 978-0525453574
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,619,111 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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good sequel..., August 23, 2003

By 

Victory Silvers - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jimmy, the Pickpocket of the Palace (Mass Market Paperback)

This book picks up where "The Prince of the Pond" left off. Jimmy, the prince's frog child must go to the castle where his now human father is holding the terrible hag's ring. It was mildly interesting to see Jimmy be turned into a human boy, but otherwise, this was just a boring and bittersweet story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jimmy The Pickpocket Of The Palace, June 11, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jimmy, the Pickpocket of the Palace (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was really terrific! It had all the things I like and frogs too! Frogs are very interesting. The end was very sad, I almost started to cry. This book is about a frog named Jimmy, there is a person called the hag who puts a spell on Jimmy. She didn't finish the spell because she didn't have her magic ring. The spell will be broken when a girl kisses him. Who is the girl? Read this book to find out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Colleen's Review, April 29, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jimmy, the Pickpocket of the Palace (Mass Market Paperback)

Have you ever read a book where a frog gets turned into a human? Well, I just read Jimmy, The Pickpocket Of The Palace and this is what happens.

In this book, an evil hag turns the main character, Jimmy (a frog), into a boy. She does this by using an evil ring. So now Jimmy is on a mission to find the ring and turn back into a frog. But, there are many obstacles in the way.

My favorite part in the book is when the hag turns herself into a rock. It is my favorite because it is when the pond becomes safe.

I think that this book is for 4th-5th graders because it might be challenging for someone younger. There are also words that they might not know. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because sometimes it was boring.

I enjoyed the book very much. What will happen to Jimmy? Will he ever be a frog again? Will his family be okay? Read Jimmy, The Pickpocket of the Palace to find out!