The Tossy-Turny Princess and the Pesky Pea: A Fair Tale to Help You Fall Asleep

by Susan Verde, Jay Fleck (Illustrator)

Overview

A bedtime fractured fairy tale to help the most restless of little ones fall asleep, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde!

Once upon a time there lived a very busy princess who never had trouble falling asleep. Until one night, when a pesky pea changed all that!
Without sleep, the princess feels cranky, and clumsy, and filled with worry that she’ll never sleep again. Will this tossy-turny princess ever be able to calm her mind, relax her body, and finally get some rest?
Book 2 of the Feel-Good Fairy Tales series is a soothing spin on a classic fairytale from New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde and illustrator Jay Fleck, giving restless little readers and listeners the tools they need to help them drift off to dreamland. Includes exercises to help YOU fall asleep.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419745874
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	04/13/2021
Series:	Feel-Good Fairy Tales
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.55(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Susan Verde is a New York Times bestselling children’s author, children’s yoga and mindfulness expert, former teacher, and parent. By 2022 she will have more than 20 picture books in the marketplace. She is a highly sought after speaker at conferences, festivals, and schools across the nation, and spends half the year on the road working with children and families. Verde is a frequent contributor to online magazines and has appeared on multiple podcasts speaking about writing, parenting, mindfulness, and yoga. She lives in East Hampton, New York.


Jay Fleck drew a lot as a child but grew up to pursue other things, such as a degree in computer engineering. He found a renewed interest in art while living in Chicago, inspired by the art and culture found throughout the city. Jay is the author-illustrator of Tilly & Tank and the illustrator of a number of other children's books. He now resides in a suburb south of Chicago with his wife, two children, and loyal dog, Otis. He spends his spare time running, reading, and daydreaming.

Editorial Reviews

"This will be a welcome bedtime tale for the youngsters who aren’t settled by just a kiss and a glass of water, and their caretakers will likely appreciate the gentle introduction to good sleep hygiene."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

2021-02-09
Will the titular princess ever get to sleep?

In this purposive adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea,” the normally good royal sleeper, portrayed as a blue hippo, suddenly cannot fall asleep. Readers have seen that her younger brother (also a blue hippo) accidentally caused a pea to become lodged between her many mattresses. The princess usually assists the royal gardener (a white rabbit), bakes with the royal chef (a green gator), listens to the royal librarian (a brown bear) read, and stargazes with the royal astronomer, a snazzily dressed sloth. But after a couple “tossy-turny” nights, she is exhausted. Luckily, her friends have good advice. The gardener teaches the lizard pose, the chef demonstrates breathing, the librarian shows her how to rest her legs on the wall, and the astronomer talks about putting “each of [her] worries on a star, until with every sparkle, they disappear.” When the princess tries these meditation and yoga techniques, she finally falls asleep. Droll, colorful cartoon illustrations feature the animal characters in distinctive attire, with the sloth astronomer looking especially dapper. The sleep techniques are designed to work best at bedtime, and further information is provided in an author’s note. Unfortunately, as a story, its purpose overwhelms its narrative impact, though kids will enjoy the illustrations. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 25.3% of actual size.)

Probably best suited to families that already incorporate yoga and meditation into bedtime routines. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews