Princess Grace [Hardcover]

Mary Hoffman (Author), Cornelius Van Wright (Illustrator), Ying-Hwa Hu (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: January 10, 2008 | Age Range: 4 and up | Lexile Measure: 700L (What's this?)

This year two girls will be selected as princesses in the town parade, and Grace can?t wait to be one of them. It?s the perfect opportunity to dress up?but how, exactly, should a princess costume look? Grace asks her teacher for help, and soon the whole class is learning that there?s more to princesses than pink dresses and frills. From Kenya to China and from warriors to spies, princesses are a multicultural and multitalented bunch, and there are just as many kinds of happily ever afters?both for the royals and for Grace?s community and its princess parade.

Mary Hoffman?s picture books featuring this intrepid heroine have earned major critical acclaim; amongst other awards, Amazing Grace was a i>Reading Rainbow selection and a Booklist Editors? Choice. Grace?s latest adventure is sure to delight her established fans?and win the hearts of many more!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

After several chapter books, Hoffman returns to the original picture-book format for the series that started with Amazing Grace (1991). Grace’s teacher announces that two girls will ride on the school’s float as princesses. Initially excited about wearing a fairy-tale costume, Grace realizes that world folklore and history offer more varied and dynamic interpretations of the princess theme. On parade day, Grace and her classmates dress as royalty from different cultures; Grace wears West African Kente robes. Studded with questions worth discussing, the story rolls along smoothly, illustrated with bright paintings that picture events and Grace’s thoughts. Information about Cinderella variants, historical princesses, and Kente cloth appended. Grades K-3. --Carolyn Phelan

Review

Grace, the feisty and much-loved heroine of previous titles, returns in this entertaining and thoughtful story about what makes a princess. Grace has always wanted to be a princess so when the chance to be one in the carnival comes along, she jumps at it. But what exactly do princesses do? Just standing there in a pink dress doesn't seem to be enough. Luckily Grace finds out that there are all kinds of other princesses who are brave and clever and she and her friends can each be one. Book Ahead 0-7 Grace comes to see the difference between ephemeral princess wishes and real life princesses of her own inheritance in the brilliant Princess Grace. School Librarian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (January 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803732600
• ISBN-13: 978-0803732605
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An uplifting and eyeopening antidote to the princess stereotype March 12, 2009

By Samana Siddiqui

Format:Hardcover

Princesses in our culture are generally associated with vanity, superficiality and weakness. Princess Grace is an antidote to this one-sided and limiting view. Add to that the fact that this book's main character is an African-American girl named Grace and you've got a compelling story about how there is no one-size-fits-all princess. While some have and do enjoy lives of ease and luxury, others have led armies, been warriors and spies. After learning about these remarkable women with the help of her wise teacher, Grace decides to dress up as an African princess, like Princess Amina of Nigeria, for an upcoming school pageant.

Princess Grace offers a woman-empowering and multicultural view of a traditionally weak female stereotype. It is an ideal read and gift for any little girl in your life who is currently going through the inevitable "princess mode" of girlhood.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ...more than one way to be pretty. September 7, 2011

By S. Wong

Format:Hardcover

I love the phrase that is oft repeated in this book, that there is more than one way to be pretty. I also love that my daughter, who is admittedly a disney-esque-princess-o-file, picked this out at the library. I have since recommended it to several teachers I know, parents of her friends who are into the princess thing as well. It prompted a very valuable talk. We had a long discussion about what makes someone pretty, and whether she has to look like the ladies in the posters or wear the clothes like the ladies in the magazines in order to be pretty. I plan to add this to my personal library to read with her over and over again. Not only does it combat the "princess thing" but it is another attach against the other surface-oriented ideas of "beauty" that plague our society, especially our young women, today.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Really a Six Star Book December 16, 2010

By Monique Thompson LPC

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The front cover and back cover are different pictures of Grace as a princess. This story unfolds as she develops a reconstructed identity, a stronger one, of the various kinds of princesses - and the historical value is intact. The young reader learns about how a princess can go to war, lead a battle, and also be courteous, kind and strong hearted. My daughter, in 3rd grade, checked this book out of the library and we LOVE it. I have given it as a gift to her cousins because the storyline is priceless. If you liked Mulan, Fat Albert the Movie, Ever After the movie, or if you have a princess who's as smart and brave as she is pretty, you will enjoy this educational, entertaining and easy to read story.