Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Uproarious princess adventure is clever, sarcastic, zany.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Lavendar dreams all day of being a princess, while sister Ezra is much more practical, doing chores and taking care of her goat, Gertrude. But when Lavendar gets kidnapped by an evil villain named Clive, who's desperate for the ransom money and thinks she's a real princess, chaos and hilarity ensue as Lavendar tries to perfect the role, Ezra tries to save her, and Clive tries to pull off his kidnapping plan while doing as little actual kidnapping as possible.
Is It Any Good?
BUCKLE AND SQUASH: THE PERILOUS PRINCESS PLOT both challenges readers' assumptions about princess books and spoofs the genre. It covers every aspect of a classic princess story with its tale of adventure, kidnapping, dragon-slaying, and rescue, while simultaneously pointing out the utter silliness of such tales every step of the way.
Author Sarah Courtauld's writing is so vivid, fresh, and self-conscious that there are just as many word jokes scattered about as there are clever twists and turns. And though there's no shortage of references to death and plagues, they're made with an absurdity and slapstick that never feels gruesome or violent, much less sad. Devoted readers of princess fare will find the genre elevated here, and newcomers to reading or the genre will find it difficult to match this level of writing and engagement.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about princess books. Why are they so popular?
How is Buckle and Squash different from other princess books you've read?
How does the book challenge your assumptions about what it's like to be a princess?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Feiwel and Friends
- Publication date : May 5, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 192
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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