Customer Reviews

The Princess and the Pea

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've searched, hoped and contacted publishers about an African-American version of the Princess and the Pea. This book is so much more than that. It's beautiful and the story is rich. It's not just a typical story with the characters colored in brown. It's got culture in the characters, the design, and the content. I am truly thankful to Ms. Isadora for producing such a lovely book.

This is a very clever book and I found the style captivating. It is interesting how Ms. Isadora combines the African theme and the fun of the story all packaged in a classic story. Mr. Andersen would approve!

The cut-paper illustrations remind me of Eric Carle's style, but the patterns are evocative of Africa. Every page is so well done.

I wish this story had... a bit more story.

Learn how to say hello in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya.

With so much emphasis on princesses these days, this story is the perfect foil for the wan pink varities. In a riot of color, this queen-to-be hops upon a bed of many quilts in African prints only to find the bed unsuited to a good night's sleep and hence wins the hand of the prince. Old tale, new award-winning graphics.

I am entirely captivated by the artwork in this book. I'm not between the ages of 4-8, but I'm kind of buying this more for myself than for my kids-so captivated by the - can you say "illustration" for collage?. The story as rendered is ok. I'm not crazy about the picky-for-no-apparent-reason prince and the poor something-wrong-with-them princesses. But the mattresses in textures I recognize - and the princesses each absolutely striking - the rain storm and the king striding across the yard through the rain in his slipper shoes are unforgettable. The princess jaunting up the ladder to her unhappy night's rest conveyed a surprising amount of detail to me.

This is a visual treat for children of any age!

I love this book and the artwork is truly beautiful. I have bought this as a gift for a few different baby showers and always a crowd pleaser!

The story of the princess and the pea has been enhanced by this lovely telling written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora. By setting the tale in Africa, Isadora adds a new cultural dimension to the story and affirms the nobility of all races, in contrast to the lily white princesses that dominate movies, books and toys. But the illustrations are truly engaging and beautiful and stand on their own merit, not just as a non-white version of a classic. Any child's library would be enhanced by the inclusion of this book.

My daughter read this book as soon she pulled it out the box. She enjoyed the pictures and the princess.

It's nice to see a book with a black princess - heck, a non-blonde princess!

But this is an incredibly bare-bones version of the story. There's no detail here, no emotion, no digging into anybody's motivation. You can read it in two minutes flat. If you dawdle. That's not what I'm used to, and not what I like. (I'm also a little uncomfortable with the idea that the prince visited three different princesses but "something wasn't right" with each one. What... because of their clothes? They're each from a different part of the continent...? There's no detail given, so we have to figure it out for ourselves. Of course.)

The illustrations are nicely done, but the text is so sparse.... Just read it before you buy it, is all.