PRINCE SACHA'S FIERCE, FABULOUS, FANCY DAY

In this retelling of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” Prince Sacha holds a contest to find a fabulous gown.

Prince Sacha has the best of everything: the most ornate palace, the best food, and the “fiercest clothes.” As the Parade of Princely Prancing approaches, however, the regal bear finds that he has nothing to wear to the annual event celebrating his impeccable style. He declares an emergency contest, inviting fashion designers from across the kingdom to design a gown worthy of the big event. Nothing pleases Prince Sacha. Then a rabbit named Panini presents a truly singular gown, made of fabric so special, “only the most fabulous animals can see it.” Readers will delight in Prince Sacha’s dramatic outfits and towering heels and have fun identifying his eclectic subjects; in this kingdom, emperor penguins, zebras, and star-nosed moles all attend court together. While the story preserves the same narrative beats as the original fairy tale, the ultimate message is unclear. Though Prince Sacha is shown to be demanding and fickle, served by a group of unhappy, beleaguered cats and surrounded by piles of fine clothing, his excess is celebrated rather than censured. Indeed, the animals of his court seem content to revel in unexamined fabulousness rather than question how their prince was so easily deceived. Though no human characters appear, architecture and a reference to boba imply a Chinese setting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Silly fun with a confusing takeaway.