Saturday, July 21, 2012

The Twelve Dancing Princesses, by Marianna Mayer

The Twelve Dancing Princesses
by Marianna Mayer
illustrated by K.Y. Craft
40 pages
©1998
New York: HarperCollins
ISBN 9780688143923


Annotation 
In this adaptation of a traditional tale, Peter the palace gardener wins the heart of the youngest of the twelve princesses by uncovering their secret.



Commentary
From the bucolic scenes of Peter's childhood to the courtly dance hall far below the palace, the detail-rich paintings fill the reader's eye with color. The fashionable princesses are clothed in precious fabrics and jewels, no less delicate and bright than the petals of the flowers Peter tends in the royal gardens.




While some reviews list this book as suitable for pre-K, I think the text is far too long and dense to capture the attention of children younger than 8 or 9. Tweens would be a better audience. 



no Author Info
Illustrator Info
Media: oil paint


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