Common Sense Note
Kids will cheer for the resourceful heroine. The illustrations are as bright and fun as the writing and story.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Peter Lewis
A cast of goofy characters, meticulously rendered in ink and cheerful, gleaming watercolor, populate author/illustrator Babette Cole's artwork, and there is a wealth of funny details that keep busy eyes active.
Princess Smartypants may be a smart-aleck, but she's sincere and full of life and charm. Prince Swashbuckle is her perfect foil: urbane, traditional, and--under all the suavity--insincere. His efforts to win Princess Smartypants have more to do with ego than affection (one of the medals on his uniform is shaped like a pig, just the kind of detail that adds humor and depth to this feminist tale).
The ending comes as a surprise. It seems Princess Smartypants has finally met her match, until she pulls that last trick out of her bag. A cry of "Yahoo!" went up during a read-aloud when a group of five-year-olds came to this subversive moment.
Another good variation on the old fairy-tale theme is Fanny's Dream.
From The Book
Then Prince Swashbuckle turned up. He stopped the slugs from eating her garden, fed her pets, roller-discoed until dawn, rode for miles on her motorbike. He rescued her from her tower. He found some firewood in the forest. He even tamed her horrid pony ... Prince Swashbuckle didn't think Princess Smartypants was so smart.
Plot Summary:
This princess doesn't want to be a queen: She likes her motorcycle, her dragon pals, and freedom! In this feminist reworking of a classic fairy-tale theme, Princess Smartypants goes against her parents' wishes, outwits her suitors, and remains a happy single gal. The writing and the art are high-spirited and full of humor.
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