PRINCESS PEEPERS

Calvert’s tale of a bespectacled princess’s rocky road to self-acceptance is rollicking good fun. Princess Peepers adores her plethora of eyewear, with what seems to be a pair of glasses for every occasion. However, when she attends the Royal Academy she is astonished to discover her spectacles are far from au courant. In a misguided attempt to satisfy others’ expectations and fit in, she doffs her lenses. While the ensuing mishaps are appropriately silly and lighthearted, they do not conceal the compelling message that being true to one’s self paves the road to happiness. Mourning’s mixed-media illustrations of graphite and digital/collage present an intriguing blend of texture and color. Readers are bound to relish the interplay between what the text describes and the reality of the illustrations as Princess Peepers stumbles about sans specs. The ironic denouement is bound to please princess fans and their practical parents alike. (Picture book. 5-9)