THE FROG PRINCESS

In this transformation tale, a princess says that she would rather marry a frog than one of her many suitors, and the carelessly tossed-off statement comes true. The girl goes off with her magically handsome frog prince and enjoys her watery life although her parents mourn for her. When her father threatens to drain their lake, the frog people bring her back to land. The determined girl finds a way to return to the frogs and they leave that region forever. The story is gracefully told and there is limited use of Tlingit imagery in the animal headdresses worn by some male figures. The illustrator explains that the princess’s untraditional yellow robe is a way to show the young woman’s individualism, but the attractive watercolors lack a strong feeling for this unique cultural group. (author’s and illustrator’s notes) (Picture book/folktale. 6-9)