DON’T KISS THE FROG!

A candyfloss collection of six fairy tales, whose punning titles may echo more familiar stories but whose texts have another agenda. Princess Grace in “The Clumsy Princess” is only thus on the ground; on horseback she wins the joust she was supposed to judge. “Sleepy Beauty,” who nods off at any opportunity, breaks her own spell by kissing the gardener. In “Double Dragons,” Princess Greta finds a way to keep the dragon occupied in ways that do not involve scorching the flowers or eating the lambs. Although three illustrators contribute to the whole, all the brightly colored, rubbery images share a pink-and-green–infused palette and a squiggly nature. The text has its own amusements, even unto fontplay, as the names of princesses, various nouns and other items are picked out in antique, ornate or just plain LOUD type. First published in Britain, this mildly amusing compendium may find its audience, but doesn’t have much in the way of attitude, really. (Fractured fairy tales. 5-9)