Customer Reviews

The Storytelling Princess

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Once upon a time, a King told his son that the time had come for him to marry and he had arranged for the Prince to marry a Princess from a far off kingdom across the sea. The Prince, not happy with his fate and lack of choice declared, "I will only marry the Princess I pick for myself." But the King was insistent and the Prince finally agreed to a contest. He would marry the Princess if his father could find anyone in the kingdom who could tell him a story with an ending he didn't know. At the same time, a Princess, in a far off kingdom is boarding a ship with her parents to cross the sea for an arranged marriage to a Prince. She too, is not happy. "I'd rather be washed overboard in a storm at sea." And as fate would have it, that's exactly what happens. After many days in the water, she finally washes ashore in a strange land and finds a dry sailor's suit to wear. Disguised and needing money, she enters a contest to tell a young Prince a story, a new and special story, with an ending he's never heard before..... Rafe Martin has written a charming and imaginative old fashioned fairy tale, complete with happily ever after ending that's perfect for youngsters 4-8. His evocative text is beautifully depicted in Kimberly Bulcken Root's detailed and expressive artwork, done in soft tones of blues and golds. Though the ending is predictable, the enjoyment is in the getting there and this is a satisfying story children will want to read again and again.

In this book a princess faces a loveless arranged marriage and declares she would rather be washed overboard than to marry someone she has not chosen herself. Of course, her wish comes true and she is washed overboard the ship she is sailing on to meet her betrothed. Soon she finds herself competing to tell a story with an ending a prince cannot predict. The story is entertaining, albeit predictable for adults, and provides positive role models for children. The power of story is shown as the princess and the prince hopefully live happily ever after with lots of great stories to share.

The illustrations are particularly beautiful and romantic without sappiness. The book should be well received by the younger set who are tired of their traditional fairy tales and want a new story to read.

This is a nice story about a prince and princess who love to read and tell stories. They think they are rebelling from their parents but they are only finding each other.