I knew I could never resist a book with the words 'princess' and 'Christmas' in the title. I'm glad I didn't, because 'The Princess and the Christmas Rescue' is a fun, inventive, creative, crafty, cute, sweet kids' picture book about Christmas, winter, forests, reindeer, elves, Santa's workshop, and, most unimportantly, Santa.
The princess herself, Eliza, isn't the future sovereign of Christmas or anything like that, but of some random kingdom near the North Pole, I guess, in an isolated palace in a wood. It's all very cold and wintery, is the point.
Eliza is a little STEM girl - clever, curious, and dexterous. She is into arts and crafts, and is always inventing and building gadgets and contraptions, and generally trying new things. Her overprotective, old-fashioned, backwards parents do not approve of her "unroyal" and "unladylike" ways.
What Eliza wishes for more than anything is a friend; she is very lonely, stuck in her palace like Rapunzel (she also kind of looks like Goldilocks or Bo Peep).
Long story short, she sneaks out in the snow at what turns out to be Christmastime, finds a reindeer, helps the elves at Santa's workshop (Santa is ill, and those poor elves are so overworked!), and saves Christmas. And makes friends just by being kind and helpful. Eliza is rewarded for her talents, artistry, efforts, hard work, charity and altruism.
Another important message is: parents should support their children as individuals, and not treat them as if they're extensions of themselves. Wake up, people! Progress and learn, don't be stubborn and rigid!
'The Princess and the Christmas Rescue' is written in playful and bonny rhymes. It can be a nice storybook jingle.
The book is joyously cartoony and sweet. It is a perfect, quick read for a feminist/STEMinist Christmas. It should be made into an animated Christmas special. Julia Donaldson has had her day. Hi, Caryl Hart!
Wait, Donaldson also wrote 'The Princess and the Wizard', and the princess in that is named... Eliza!
What is going on here!?
Oh, never mind. It's extremely likely it's a coincidence, no need to worry.
'The Princess and the Christmas Rescue' is my last holiday season book, and what a twinkling, tinkering charmer!
Other, similar recommended children's picture books include:
'Power to the Princess: 15 Favorite Fairytales Retold with Girl Power'
'The Fairytale Hairdresser' series
'Interstellar Cinderella'
'The Worst Princess'
'Princess Daisy and the Dragon and the Nincompoop Knights'
'Brave: One Perfect Day'
'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me'
'Princess Smartypants'
'The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess'
'The Princess and the Pony'
'Goldilocks in Space (Futuristic Fairy Tales)'
'Princess Pumpkin Patch'
Final Score: 4/5
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