Arnica, the Duck Princess

by Ervin Lazar, Anna Bentley (Translator), Jacqueline Molnar (Illustrator)

Overview

A hilarious Hungarian classic children's story, about true love, friendship and what happens when a witch turns your fiancé into a duck Princess Arnica is so sweet and gentle that when she smiles even wolves and bears forget their fierceness. Everyone loves her, but she loves only Poor Johnny. Luckily, he loves her too, and even more luckily Arnica has a very sensible king for a father, who is happy for her to marry whomever her heart desires. So, no problem then? Well, maybe just one – The Witch with a Hundred Faces has cast a spell on Arnica and Johnny which means that one of them must always be a duck, and the other human! Only the Seven-Headed Fairy can help them, but will they be able to find her in time? This is a hilarious classic children's tale about true love, friendship and, of course, what happens when your fiancé is turned into a duck. Ervin Lázár (1936–2006) was an award-winning and much-loved Hungarian children's author.He won many prizes, including the IBBY Book of the Year on three occasions, and was a runner-up for the 1982 Hans Christian Andersen Award. His stories for children have been translated into many languages, but Arnica the Duck Princess is the first to appear in English.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782692218
Publisher:	Steerforth Press
Publication date:	08/13/2019
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	9 MB
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Ervin Lázár (1936–2006) was an award-winning and much-loved Hungarian children's author.He won many prizes, including the IBBY Book of the Year on three occasions, and was a runner-up for the 1982 Hans Christian Andersen Award. His stories for children have been translated into many languages, but Arnica the Duck Princess is the first to appear in English.

Editorial Reviews

07/29/2019

“Write me a story!” So begins this madcap yarn of clever Princess Arnica and Poor Johnny, who are cursed by the Witch of a Hundred Faces: one must be a duck while the other is human. Structured as a tale being told to a child, the story swoops and veers through Arnica and Johnny’s quest to find the Seven-Headed Fairy, the only one who can break the spell, with interpolations from the listening child and the storytelling parent: “He did the right thing to refuse the treasure, didn’t he?” “It certainly looks that way.” Fresh, funny characters (touchy Victor Coppermine; Tig-Tag, the misguided thief; wise King Tirunt, whose Chief Royal Counter counts until the monarch’s anger passes) offer much delight, as does the satisfying ending. Molnár’s vibrant folkloric illustrations complement the tale’s whimsical sincerity. Ages 7–10. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Charming and funny, a minor classic … Quirky and philosophical, this is a fabulous read-aloud for children ages 6-11." — Wall Street Journal

"Here’s something new and wonderful. Lázár (1936–2006) was a Hungarian national treasure. . . . Move over Princess Bride: Arnica is a worthy successor to Buttercup." — Susan Harari, Keefe Library, in Youth Services Book Review

"A quacking read... a wonderful, twisted fairytale, with gorgeous illustrations." — The Times, Children’s Book of the Week

"Gorgeous illustrations! A beautiful Hungarian fairy tale... love, friendship and a wicked witch! Just brilliant!" — Independent Book Reviews

"Ably translated from Hungarian into English, and uniquely enhanced with the original artwork of Jacqueline Molar, this delightfully entertaining retelling of an Hungarian folk tale by author Ervin Lazar is unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library collections." — Midwest Book Review

"Something rather special... [a] fairytale of love and friendship... perfect to read aloud or to share with new slightly more confident readers." — Angels and Urchins

"A stunning fairytale about love, friendship and laughter, but Lázár also offers wise words about controlling one's anger, forgiveness and showing kindness... this is a magical tale to be enjoyed by readers young and old." — Bluebird Reviews

"Jacqueline Molnár's eye-catching illustrations have a wonderful folk art quality to them which wonderfully complement the text... contains all the most important ingredients of a fairy tale: friendship, peril, humour and a touch of magic." — Library Girl and Book Boy blog
 
"The style of writing is refreshingly modern and amusing… I have no way of knowing if this is the style of Ervin Lázár, capably translated by Anna Bentley, or if there is some magic happening in the translation… It’s really very charming [and] …the illustrations by Jacqueline Molnár turn out to be exactly what the book needs." — Bookwitch blog

From the Publisher

2019-05-26
A princess and her beloved improve their kingdom with intelligence and generosity while seeking to reverse a fowl curse.

Far away, in a castle with 36 towers and 300 windows, lives clever Princess Arnica. The princess and honest, practical Poor Johnny, "the most footloose and fancy-free of all people," fall in love and are cursed by the Witch of a Hundred Faces. One will be a duck and the other a human until the Seven-Headed Fairy breaks the spell. As they search for the fairy, the pair encounters eclectic characters and situations, the episodes illustrating modern virtues that include the value of anger management, the power of love, and the pitfalls of material wealth. The book closes with a nuanced moral: "The important thing is to really, really want something. Even if it won't necessarily succeed." The short, connected episodes are built from folktalelike phrases. Two nameless narrators interrupt the story frequently for humorous, candid discussions of plot and characters. Mixed-media full-page and spot illustrations grace every other page and depict a largely white cast. Rounded shapes and bodies work in tandem with a sparkling jewel-toned palette to create a charming fantasy world, softening the ferocity of the witch and her animal minions. Readers will hope this is just the first of many works by Lázár, who died in 2006, to be translated into English.

Translated from Hungarian, this whimsical, modern folktale begs to be read aloud. (Fable. 4-10)

Kirkus Reviews