The Very Fairy Princess

The Very Fairy Princess

While her friends and family may not believe in fairies, Geraldine knows, deep down, that she is a VERY fairy princess. From morning to night, Gerry does everything that fairy princesses do: she dresses in her royal attire, practices her flying skills, and she is always on the lookout for problems to solve. But it isn't all twirls and tiaras - as every fairy princess knows, dirty fingernails and scabby knees are just the price you pay for a perfect day!This new picture book addition to the Julie Andrews Collection features the joyful illustrations of Christine Davenier, and is sure to inspire that sparkly feeling within the hearts of readers young and old.From School Library JournalPreSchool-Grade 1-As any library staff member will tell you, there can never be too many princess stories. While this collaboration between Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Hamilton, does not stand out as anything particularly different, it does have enough sparkle to keep young readers interested. Geraldine leads a rather ordinary life, and each page highlights a part of her mundane day. However, in the grand tradition of other literary, bedazzled mini-divas, Geraldine's imagination and love for the color pink brighten the daily grind of being a scab-kneed little girl. Readers will enjoy Geraldine's princess attitude and the vibrant fantasy brought to life through Davenier's ink and colored pencil illustrations. However, for girly girl stories with a bit more attitude, stick with reigning princesses Eloise, Fancy Nancy, and Olivia.-Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.From BooklistA girl who believes she is really a princess isn't a new premise in children's literature, so it's refreshing to find a very real little girl as our protagonist, especially given a title that evokes an expectation of a more traditionally froufrou young royal. Geraldine (Gerry) just knows she is a princess and narrates the events of her day, offering commentary about her many doubters: ?My brother, Stewart, says princesses don't wear sneakers and don't have scabby knees.? Gerry's type of princess isn't too precious; in response to her brother, she asserts, ?Fairy princesses are very practical.? A long day passes-breakfast, school, playtime, and dinner-before the one person who never doubts her comes home: Daddy. Freckled, spiky haired, pink clad, and irrepressible, Geraldine is reminiscent of Eloise. She lets kids know it's not necessary to be prim and proper to be a ?real? princess; princesses who just want to have fun will find plenty of that here. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Diane FooteAbout the AuthorJulie Andrews's legendary career encompasses the Broadway and London stages, as well as multiple films, television shows, album releases, concert tours, directing assignments, and the world of children's publishing. In 2000 the title of Dame Commander of the British Empire was bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II for lifetime achievements in the arts and humanities. Her many other honors include a Kennedy Center honor in the fall of 2001. She was married to film director Blake Edwards for forty-one years, and the couple have five children, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.Emma Walton Hamilton is an award-winning writer, producer and arts educator. Together with her mother, Julie Andrews, she has written over thirty books for children and young adults. Emma is on the faculty of Stony Brook University's MFA in Creative Writing, where she serves as director of the Children's Lit Fellows and the Young Artists and Writers Project.