The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation (Princess in Black Series #4)

by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, Leuyen Pham (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Nothing spoils a day at the beach like a big ol' monster, but that monster may well not have known whom he was picking a fight with.

Even monster-battling princesses get tired sometimes! But a peaceful time away is hard to find as the humorous New York Times best-selling series continues.

After battling monsters all night, a sleepy Princess in Black decides that she needs a vacation. After all, the Goat Avenger, a new hero who looks oddly familiar, has offered to protect the goats while she takes a much needed break. The very next day Princess Magnolia rides her bicycle to the seaside, where the air is salty, the sun is shiny, and the sea is as blue as monster fur. But just as Princess Magnolia is about to take a nap on her hammock, she hears a “ROAR!” Seriously? A monster? On the perfect beach? Impossible! Could a sea monster really ruin this vacation for the Princess in Black?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763694517
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/21/2017
Series:	Princess in Black Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Shannon and Dean Hale are the award-winning husband-and-wife team behind The Princess in Black, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Shannon Hale is also the author of the Newbery Honor novel Princess Academy as well as the New York Times best-selling series Ever After High. Shannon and Dean Hale live in Salt Lake City, Utah.

LeUyen Pham is the illustrator of many books for children, including God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams and Aunt Mary’s Rose by Douglas Wood, as well as the Freckleface Strawberry books by Julianne Moore. LeUyen Pham lives in California.

Editorial Reviews

The dual storylines keep the pace exciting, and—even though the heroine is sleepy—the art is energetic and charming. Princess Magnolia has fair skin, Duff's is a little bit darker, and the beachgoers are pleasingly diverse. As always, hilarious; perhaps the strongest Princess in Black outing since the first.
—Kirkus Reviews

Pham’s expressive artwork appears on almost every page, effectively breaking up the text for emerging readers, as well as helping them to visualize the story details. Particularly amusing are the paired illustrations that compare the Goat Avenger and Duff. Recommend the PIB series to Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson graduates looking for a new fix.
—Booklist Online

From the Publisher

2016-08-02
As the title suggests, the Princess in Black attempts to take a much-needed vacation.Worn down by constant monster alarms, Princess Magnolia, aka the Princess in Black, can hardly stay awake when fighting the furry, brightly colored monsters menacing her kingdom—this is seen in a funny fight sequence where her usual attacks have been replaced with such maneuvers as the “sluggish swing” and “double dozy.” Luckily, a new hero arrives: the Goat Avenger, who has the same height and smile as Duff the goat boy but “couldn’t be Duff. Duff did not wear a mask.” Duff—as the Goat Avenger—suggests that the princess needs a vacation and offers to handle monster duty in her absence. Princess Magnolia hits the beach and runs into Princess Sneezewort before settling in for a nap—which is promptly interrupted by a giant rampaging sea monster! This nifty battle sequence alternates with scenes of Duff, who amps himself up for battling monsters, liberates a squirrel that has set off a false alarm, and is finally assisted by the squirrel in facing an acorn monster. The dual storylines keep the pace exciting, and—even though the protagonist is sleepy—the art is energetic and charming. Princess Magnolia has fair skin, Duff’s is a little bit darker, and the beachgoers are pleasingly diverse. As always, hilarious; perhaps the strongest Princess in Black outing since the first. (Fantasy. 5-8)

Kirkus Review