A sad but loving and hopeful princess fairy tale, featuring a practical, POC princess.
Lessons to take from 'The Apple-Pip Princess' include: Go outside and play and plant a garden, for nature and your home and people will thank you later; look out for those less fortunate than you; materialistic things and showing off are unimportant, especially if you're a leader of a nation; speaking of, slave labour used in order to build materialistic things simply out of hubris is very wrong; the bigger the ego, the lonelier you'll become; things and memories of the past can be an important use for saving the present and future; in other words, learn from the past in order to save the future; grief can be a source of strength, not weakness; there is beauty in everything as long as we hope and prosper; and outdoor activities are a blossoming blessing and a joy in so many ways. Anyone can do and enjoy anything out in the grounds.
I don't want to spoil much about the plot, but Princess Serenity (lovely name) is a small, plain princess with a big and beautiful heart who will use her late mother's teachings and mementos to save her desolate kingdom, under her old, grieving and depressed father. Unlike her shallow and arrogant older sisters, Suzanna and Miranda, she will try to actually do something for the good of her people.
I'm relieved that the sisters don't turn out to be one-dimensional, and the story is more about grief, family, motherhood and sisterhood, than magic. There is no explicit romance, either, thank Queen Elizabeth I.
The illustrations are as illustrious and gorgeous as the progressive fairy tale. In some soft spots the writing is quite quaint, self-aware and humourous; Jane Ray shows off her personality in her opus.
In fact, "quaint" describes 'The Apple-Pip Princess' wonderfully.
Raindrops, sunlight, moonlight, a rainbow, a starbird's feather, a spider's dewy web, a nightingale's song, an embroidered silk bag, mist, a black cat, and an apple pip and other fruit pips - such are the ingredients for a marvelous, succulent and sweet princess tale; as well as for a magical garden, and for life.
Sugar, spice and everything nice don't cut it anymore. Neither do roses, kittens, bright copper kettles, and warm woolen mittens.
It seems that every great picture book I've read recently can so easily be made into an animated family film. Come on, make more female-led animated films!...whoever might be reading this!
'The Apple-Pip Princess' - Absolutely breathtaking, mellifluous, feminist, and important to read to children. It is about happiness, and working hard to save the environment and your society. What could be more important than that?
For we will all live happily ever after then.
'Can a tiny apple pip really bring hope and happiness back to Serenity's beloved kingdom?
Sometimes it's the smallest things that make the biggest difference...'
Final Score: 5/5
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