Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #363713 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-01
• Released on: 2006-01-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 44 pages

From Publishers Weekly
This oversize edition treats the classic tale to a graceful translation and eerily haunting illustrations. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2 The feisty, arrogant princess of the golden ball is gone, and in her place is a wispy, vacuous simp: `` `Oh,' she said, `There's an ugly frog outside the door. I made it a silly promise.' '' The text is choppy, condescending, and weak: ``Splash, splash; plip, plop. Then a voice spoke outside the door. She knew that voice!'' However, the illustrations are attractive: they include full-color, romantic Renaissance-inspired pages and delicate pen-and-ink drawings on the bordered text pages. In this case, the illustrations have more vitality than the text. For a more vigorous delivery, try Harve and Kaethe Zemach's The Princess and Froggie (Farrar, 1975). Carolyn Noah, Worcester Public Library, Mass.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklovers
This book has become a new favorite of mine this year. Fairy tales have been favorites of mine since I was a very small child, and this one is no exception. It deserves attention not only because of the grace and beauty of the illustrations, but also because of the new spin it takes on an old tale. In this story, the princess does not kiss the grog to turn him into a prince. Neither does she fall in love with him. She simply gets angry with him, picks him up, and throws him into a wall. A bit violent perhaps, but I often find myself reading classrooms to groups of children. The three and four year olds in the classroom where I was reading this book erupted into gay shrieks and giggles during this scene. They loved that not only a kiss, but a good knock in the head will also break that nasty witch's spell. As mentioned before, the luminous, living quality of the illustrations tell the story almost by themselves. Sure to enchant with its imagery and simple story, the book is worth experiencing.

Customer Reviews

Delightful teamwork for my son and me
I think this "We Both Read" series is great. Whatever mood my boy is in when bedtime rolls around - whether he's working with me or against me - this concept works. I read the (difficult) left page in each two page spread, and the child reads the (easy) right. Teamwork. And even though these make no mention of Power Rangers or Batman Beyond, these are my boy's favorites. Along with some math books from Singapore(sgbox.com), and a learn-to-read series called "Now I'm Reading" by Nora Gaydos, these books are a great experience for your child. After your child has finished reading and they climb in bed, give your child something to strive for... turn on your booklight, turn off the room lights, and read your child a chapter or two from a more advanced book. Treasure Island, Harry Potter, anything by Roald Dahl... That's what works for my boys and I.

a simple idea, with a touch of genius in it
This series of readers really works. I've been running through them at bedtime with my six-year-old, who adores taking it in turns with me to read her page after I've read mine. It turns reading into a collaborative game, with plenty of play-acting (doing the different voices of the characters) thrown in. At my daughter's stage of reading, a short book can be a long haul, when she has to do it all by herself. The "We Both Read" books break up the text into manageable segments, and give her time-out while I do my share of the work. I'd like to see more and more titles quickly added to the series. I am baffled as to why Amazon should inflict a $1.35 surcharge on the publisher's recommended price--it seems to run entirely counter to the Amazon way of doing things. But the books themselves are splendid.