Prince Ribbit

by Jonathan Emmett, Poly Bernatene (Illustrator)

Overview

Enchanted prince or just a plain old frog? Pucker up, princesses! There’s only one way to find out . . .
Fairy tales are just stories—or so Princess Martha believes. But when her sisters meet a talking frog, they’re convinced that giving him the royal treatment will turn him into Prince Charming. After all, that’s what happens in their story books. Martha isn’t so sure. The more she sees of Prince Ribbit, the more suspicious she becomes. Armed with the facts, Martha sets out to expose Prince Ribbit and prove to her sisters that “just because it’s in a book doesn’t mean it’s true.” But before “The End,” Princess Martha might just learn that lesson for herself!
Jonathan Emmett’s clever twist on the “The Frog Prince” pits a spunky, bespectacled princess against a sly amphibian to teach a charming lesson on the pitfalls of trusting everything you read.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561457618
Publisher:	Peachtree Publishing Company
Publication date:	03/01/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.90(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jonathan Emmett, in addition to writing picture books, also writes and paperengineers pop-up books. He is the author of several books, including The Princess and the Pig, also illustrated by Poly Bernatene. He lives in England.

Poly Bernatene is a visiting professor at Buenos Aires School of Fine Art. He has worked in advertising, animation, and comics, and has illustrated over sixty children’s books. He lives in Argentina.

Editorial Reviews

01/09/2017
Once upon a time, a talking frog tried to pull a long con on two princess sisters. Lucinda and Arabella are devotees of fairy tales, so they think the frog has Potential Handsome Prince written all over his green face; he’s invited to dine at their table and sleep in a royal bed. But a third sister, Martha (whose personality and tresses may remind readers of Merida from Brave), insists that “Just because it’s in a book doesn’t mean it’s true,” and sets out to find the cold, hard facts. Since those facts live in science books, however, Martha finds her own words turned against her. These proceedings may cause a little uneasiness in anyone who believes we’ve entered a post-truth world, but rest assured that Emmett and Bernatene, collaborators on The Santa Trap and other titles, are here to entertain, not debate objective reality. The pictures have the vivid sweep and irreverent characterizations of modern animation, the frog is a suitably haughty rogue, and readers will take away a universally appealing lesson: it’s fun to be clever. Ages 3–7. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

04/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—Fantasy meets reality in this twist on the tale of "The Frog Prince" as three young princesses find that a frog in the royal pond can actually speak. Entranced with the romance of the traditional fairy tale, they declare that he is actually royalty and ponder ways to turn him into the prince of their dreams—serenading him with a harp and a violin and offering him a princely soft pillow bed, food at the royal table, the services of the royal tailor, a distinctive crown, and servants to meet his every need. Rich color and patterns reminiscent of tapestry or lace grace the digital cartoon art, which features large-eyed, expressive princesses and plenty of detail, from the impressionistic background of the lily pond to the shading of a royal procession. Only the youngest princess, Martha, sees through the amphibian's tricks and knows him for what he is—a lowly frog (with a gift for gab). Her solution to reveal his deception provides readers with an ending that perfectly suits the story's repeated admonition—"just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true." VERDICT This entertaining read-aloud with a hint of the fairy tale is a suggested general purchase for most libraries.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal

2016-12-21
Three pink-cheeked, white princesses meet a conniving frog in this amusing metafictional parody of "The Frog Prince."The two older sisters are elegant young ladies in jewels and brocade gowns who sit in the palace garden reading fairy tales. They sit quietly and read "The Frog Prince," while their much younger sister, Princess Martha, prefers learning facts and studying real frogs. A clever frog introduces himself as the ensorcelled Prince Ribbit and convinces the older sisters to take him indoors for a pampered life. Spunky Princess Martha, with red, curly hair and glasses, sees through the frog's ruse. Her sisters offer fairy tales to prove their point, while Martha counters with informational texts, triggering the story's refrain: "Just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true." The older sisters kiss the frog to try to break the spell and turn him into a handsome prince and future husband, but Martha tries to befriend the frog, sealing the deal with a gentle kiss. In a surprising twist ending, the frog turns into a dark-haired, pale-skinned prince who is "SO handsome that Martha decided she DID want to marry him after all." The final page, however, shows Martha laughing with the real frog, along with the story's thematic advice not to believe everything, as "just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true." Despite the tongue-in-cheek ambiguity of the ending, the story seems to reinforce the notion that partners should be chosen based on appearances. In addition, Princess Martha appears far too young to be contemplating marriage, so the moment when readers think she is may unsettle them. A huge trim size and digitally produced illustrations in bright, jewel tones add appeal. An entertaining effort with a disappointing denouement. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews

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