TWENTY-SIX PRINCESSES

A frog prince lets it be known that he’s “receiving,” and 26 applicants respond, from Princess Alice (“First to the palace”) on through the rest of the letters. The text is all one-line captions. As they make their way successively into the Prince’s presence, each of the lasses—variously dressed and with a variety of hair and skin colors—displays an aggressive, larger-than-life personality in the big, comical cartoon portraits. Often they pair off; Princess Heather is “dressed for the weather,” but plainly furious Princess Isabella “has no umbrella,” for instance, and Princess Xena is “a true ballerina,” but clumsy Princess Yvette “isn’t one, yet.” The royal visits aren’t all daintiness and good manners, either; Princess Ruth is “mithing a tooth,” Princess Criss isn’t the only one who tries to “steal a kiss” and pink clouds floating behind Princess Nell (“What is that smell?”) signal alimentary issues. Once Princess Zaire is “finally there,” Horowitz assembles them all in a boisterous final foldout as “A royal pain in the alphabet!” Young readers and listeners of both sexes will laugh and agree. (Picture book. 5-7)