Davey doesn’t believe in spells and fairy tales—until the day a strange blue-eyed frog named Amelia turns up in his pond. Amelia is really a princess, and in order to break the spell she’s under, she needs a kiss before two cycles of the moon pass. It looks as though Davey is the only boy who can help her. But he doesn’t want to kiss the frog until he’s had a chance to show her off to his friends, and the thought of kissing her at all makes him sick. In the meantime, he’ll have to take care of the bossy princess by keeping her away from his menacing little brother, Kevin. Can the princess convince Davey to do the right thing, or is she doomed to stay a frog forever?
Patricia Easton’s crackling, fast-paced chapter book puts a new spin on a beloved fairy tale. Mike Wohnouka’s ingenious black-and-white illustrations are guaranteed to elicit giggles and guffaws.
Gr 2-5-A modern spin on a traditional tale. A princess has fallen victim to a spell that has turned her into a frog, and to reverse it, a boy must kiss her before two cycles of the moon pass. Her time is running out. One day while out catching tadpoles, Davey discovers Princess Amelia, and he can't believe his luck. He immediately sees her as a way to make him the most popular boy in school, for no one else has a talking frog. Amelia is horrified, and she is further distressed when she discovers that Davey has a terrible track record in pet care. What he doesn't bank on is that she can be a royal pain-she's bossy, determined-and terrified. This story will charm its readers, and the pencil drawings add to the fun. Children will relate to the boy's struggle between desiring popularity and taking responsibility for his actions. There is a lot of funny, snappy dialogue, and the spot and full-page black-and-white drawings are equally engaging. A strong selection for early chapter-book readers.-Linda B. Zeilstra, Skokie Public Library, IL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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