Book Review: Princess Truly & The Courageous Cape Chase

Hello Everyone!

A few days ago we shared with you some amazing news from our friend and Children's Book Author, Kelly Greenawalt.

If you missed the post, you may read it here: Latest News of Princess Truly's New Book

Now we want to share our review on her latest book, "Princess Truly & The Courageous Cape Chase.  

Here is a brief synopsis of the book:

Princess Truly is enjoying a beautiful fall day when out of the corner of her eye, she notices a flying red something.  Ever the curious girl, she decides to investigate and her beloved pug, Sir Noodles, follows her.  

They soon discover the flying red something belongs to a freckle-faced boy with bright red hair, Rowdy Wrigley.  Rowdy is afraid of everything.  Or at least he was until his mother sewed a special red cape for him.  With his cape on his shoulders, he isn’t afraid of anything.  Unfortunately, one day while picking apples, the cape blew off his shoulders.  Princess Truly offers to help him find it.  

The friends set off on an exciting adventure into Mysterious Forest to hunt for the cape.  Along the way, they meet a little kitty named Fiona. Despite not feeling very brave, Rowdy proves that he is when he rescues the kitty after she gets stuck in a tree.  Princess Truly and Rowdy then chase the cape into a deep, dark cave.  With a little help from Truly’s magical curls, Rowdy learns that what is in your heart is much more important than what is on your back.

Our Review:

This is Princess Truly and her faithful companion, Sir Noodles' third adventure and they are at it again!!

Please keep in mind that although this is the third book in the series, they DO NOT have to be read in chronological order, but in my personal opinion they are more enjoyable if you do read them in order. 

As always, this is an amazing story with a strong message about "believing and achieving".  If you believe in yourself enough then you can achieve anything you put your mind to.  It also teaches about kindness.

The Illustrations in this book, just like in the two books before are beautiful and well drawn.  The colorful illustrations captivate the story's details and they also seem to captivate the young audience, like my daughter.

Ms. Bree definitely enjoyed this book and she was excited to see some of the vocabulary words she is currently learning at school.  Therefore, making the reading more exciting and fun!  As a mother, I love the fact that she can relate to the main character, "big hair, brown skin and all".  The main character also teaches about being helpful to others, about self confidence, problem solving and courage.  All the things we want our children to know. 

I am gladly giving this book a 5 STAR rating, a must have book!! 

Allow me to take a minute and tell you about this amazing illustrator: 

Amariah Rauscher lives in Central Illinois with her husband, four children and beloved bulldog, Rosie.  She has a Bachelor's degree in both Psychology and Visual Arts, additionally she is pursuing a Master's Degree in Communication.  A talented artist and illustrator, her whimsical designs can be found in her Etsy Shop, The Extent of Silence and children's books.  Most notably, she is the sole illustrator of the Princess Truly book series.  She founded Lemon Starfish, a children's publishing company, in partnership with author Kelly Greenawalt. Amariah enjoys playing video games and eating vegetables.

Here are some great links to have: 

    

Link to the publisher’s website: www.lemonstarfish.com

Follow publisher on twitter: @lemonstarfish
Follow publisher on Instagram: lemon_starfish
Link to the Princess Truly’s fan page: facebook.com/princesstrulybooks
Link to the author’s fan page: facebook.com/kellygreenawalt.author
Link to purchase the book: Princess Truly & The Courageous Cape Chase or you can order your copy by simply clicking on the image located on the right hand side of our page. 

Book Review

SOFIA THE FIRST

We all have heard of and seen "Sofia the First" on the Disney Channel.  

Ms. Bree is also a big fan of Sofia and I decided to give her the book as a Christmas present.  Not many items are on the market due to the fact that the show is fairly new.

I really like this book, the story in the book summarizes the movie "Sofia The First" which aired last December.  Which by the way, I had to record because Ms. Bree wanted to watch it over and over again. 

The illustrations are amazing and the length of paragraphs on each page made it very easy for Ms. Bree to understand and it was also easy for my six year old to read out loud.

Overview:

Meet Sofia, a little girl who lives a rather ordinary life. But everything changes when her mother, Miranda, marries the king. Overnight, Sofia becomes a princess, moves into the castle, gains a step-brother, a step-sister... and the ability to talk to her new animal friends thanks to a magical amulet! Now, life is anything but ordinary for Sofia the First!

Book Information:

      Author:  Catherine Hapka
Illustrator:  Grace Lee
Publisher:   Disney Press
For Ages:     3+



This is a very cute story for young kids, especially if your little one is as "princess-obsessed" as mine and it would be a great gift for any little girl who loves fairy tales.

Nina Bonita by Ana Maria Machado

              By: Ana Maria Machado
Illustrated: Rosana Faria

This beautiful  book was given to Ms. Bree as a Christmas present (Thanks Grandma!!).  

Nina Bonita is available in English & Spanish for those who have bilingual children.  Ms. Bree was given the hardcover English version.

The very fist thing my daughter noticed was Nina Bonita's dark and curly hair- "look just like mine mami".  As we continued to read the book she then noticed the picture where Nina Bonita's mother was braiding her hair and using colorful ribbons.  Yes, just like we do...   

This is a story about a little white rabbit who fells in love with Nina Bonita's dark skin and how he wanted to be as dark and pretty as she was.  After three failed attempts, he finally discovered why Nina Bonita's skin is so dark and pretty, it's all about genetics.

I love the illustrations, they are very simple and colorful.   This is a perfect book for the little ones who are just beginning to read by themselves, it teaches them acceptance with a sense of humor and it also teaches them that all shades of color are beautiful.

If you would like to obtain this book for your little one, click:  Nina Bonita: A Story (Children's Books from Around the World)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Ana Maria Machado was born in 1941 in Rio de Janeiro and is, alongside Lygia Bojunga Nunes and Ruth Rocha, one of the most significant children's book authors in Brazil. She started her career as a painter in Rio de Janeiro and New York City. After studyingRomance languages she did a PhD with Roland Barthes at the 'École pratique des hautes études' in Paris. She worked as journalist for the magazine 'Elle' in Paris and the BBC inLondon. In 1979, she opened the first children’s literature bookshop in Brazil, 'Malasartes'.

In 1969, Ana Maria Machado started to write. "I belong to that generation of writers who began to write during the military dictatorship, as children’s literature, alongside poetry and song texts, were amongst the few literary forms with which, through the poetic and symbolic use of language, you could make the ideas of a joie de vivre, individual freedom and respect for human rights known." Her story 'Menina Bonita do laço de fita' (1986) about a white and a black rabbit who marry and have a whole hoard of black, white and black and white patterned children, is a charming book about the living together of diverse ethnic groups. In 'Era uma vez um tirano' (1982) three children defy a tyrant who has forbidden colour, thoughts and any happiness. Without pointing fingers, Ana Maria Machado always dresses up her messages in humorous stories and trusts the ability of her young readers to also read between the lines.

Similar to many Brazilian children’s book authors of her generation, Ana Maria Machado stands in the tradition of the first great children’s book author, Jose Bento Monteiro Lobato (1882–1948). Her writing is marked, in the style of "magical realism", by a subtle mix of social satire and fantastic elements as well as a conscious and playful use of language and narrative structures. In 'História meio ao contrario' (1978), Ana Maria Machado turns the classic narrative structure of the fairy tale on its head and lets her story begin with: "And if they didn’t die, then they are still alive today" and end with "once upon a time".

In 'Bisa Bia, Bisa Bel' (1982), one of her central works, Isabell’s internal dialogue with her dead great-grandmother, Bisa Bia, and her own great-grandchild from the future, Bisa Bel, becomes a magical journey to the invisible connections between the generations, which finally allow Isabell to find her own way. For the author, fantasy also means to expand the sense for space and time and to allow reality and fantasy to mix with each other.

Just as brilliantly in ‘Palavra de Honra’ (2005, Engl: Word of Honour) Machado tells the story of a Luso-Brazilian family which has become very wealthy since their arrival in the 19th century. The reader encounters Letícia, who tries to reconstruct her own story out of the dispersed remains of the family legacy.

Ana Maria Machado has written more than hundred books for children and adults in 17 countries for which she has received the most significant Brazilian awards and many international honours. In 2000, she was awarded the 'Hans Christian Andersen Award' for her life work, the most significant international prize for youth and children’s literature. Ana Maria Machado lives with her family in Rio de Janeiro.

Additional Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-A young girl living in a coastal South American town has a blacker skin tone than any of her family members or playmates. A white rabbit, entranced by the girl's skin, "dark and glossy, just like a panther in the rain," implores her to reveal her beauty secrets. Nina Bonita, who doesn't really know why she's so dark, gives the rabbit three ridiculous possibilities, which he duplicates with disappointing results. Persistently, the rabbit asks for a fourth explanation, and the final one is provided by the girl's mother-the child is the same color as her black grandmother. The white rabbit, satisfied with a truthful answer, proceeds to marry a black rabbit and produce a plethora of children of various hues. With its unique setting and engaging characterizations, this gentle and entertaining exploration of mixed-race families is appealing. Soft, colored-pencil illustrations depict Nina Bonita and the rabbit in the larger context of a diverse village where people live comfortably despite superficial differences. This translation has retained the rhythmic cadences of the Spanish language, making it suitable for reading aloud.
Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Other Reviews:

"This enchanting story of diversity, in which a very white rabbit falls in love with a very dark girl and longs to discover the secret for being so dark and pretty, juxtaposes soft illustrations with simple text. It is perfect for reading alone or for group sharing." --- Publishers Weekly

"Soft, colored-pencil illustrations depict Nina Bonita and the rabbit in the larger context of a diverse village where people live comfortably despite superficial differences. This translation has retained the rhythmic cadences of the Spanish language, making it suitable for reading aloud." --- School Library Journal

"The softly-colored illustrations of Nina s seaside life give subtle nuance to a story that explains color most imaginatively and with great wisdom, a simple lesson easily learned about differences and acceptance." --- Curled Up Kids