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quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
Princess Harriet Hamsterbone is nobody’s damsel in distress!
When Harriet hears about twelve mice princesses cursed to dance all night long, she knows she’s just the rodent to save them. After all, Harriet is practically a professional curse-breaker. (Reversing her own curse only backfired a little!)
And never mind that the princesses’ father, the Mouse King, had more of a boy hero in mind. Handsome princes are so overrated.
It’s several months since HARRIET THE INVINCIBLE. Harriet is bored. There are no ogres to fight, the removal of her curse means that she can’t cliff dive any more and she’s been banned from jousting competitions. Fortunately she bumps into a mysterious old shrew who tells her about 12 mice princesses who are cursed to dance all night long and whose father, the Mouse King, has promised half his kingdom and marriage to the eldest princess if someone can reveal where the princesses are going and why they’re dancing all the time. Harriet is more than up for the challenge and even though the Mouse King would prefer a male hero (and has some very unusual home ideas about home decoration), beggars can’t be choosers so Harriet is given the job. But even the indomitable Harriet isn’t prepared for what she finds and more than ever, she’s going to need the help of her spirited battle quail, Mumfrey, and hamster prince Wilbur …
The second in Ursula Vernon’s HAMSTER PRINCESS SERIES for children aged 8+ is another delight from beginning to end. This book riffs on the Grimm fairytale of THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES, which Harriet proceeds to resolve in her own inimitable style, mixing stubbornness and practicality in equal measure. As with the first book, the illustrations are brilliant and really add to the story rather than just illustrate what happened. Given that there are 12 mice princesses here, it’s perhaps inevitable that they don’t all get proper character development, but I did like August and her quick thinking. The Mouse King makes an interesting villain (particularly his interesting views on interior design) and although the ending isn’t really in doubt, I really enjoyed the introduction of the moles (my favourite illustration was the difference between a happy mole and a probably not a happy mole) and it was great to see Wilbur again (forced to work as a stable hand for the Mouse King because the family basement has flooded). If I’ve got a quibble, it’s that I’d have liked a bit more Mumfrey (who didn’t really have much to do here) but that’s really a minor comment because this is a funny, warm and clever reworking of a known fairytale and it’s great to finally see a strong female hamster character. I will definitely read the next in this series.
The Verdict:
The second in Ursula Vernon’s HAMSTER PRINCESS SERIES for children aged 8+ is another delight from beginning to end. This book riffs on the Grimm fairytale of THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES, which Harriet proceeds to resolve in her own inimitable style, mixing stubbornness and practicality in equal measure. As with the first book, the illustrations are brilliant and really add to the story rather than just illustrate what happened. Given that there are 12 mice princesses here, it’s perhaps inevitable that they don’t all get proper character development, but I did like August and her quick thinking. The Mouse King makes an interesting villain (particularly his interesting views on interior design) and although the ending isn’t really in doubt, I really enjoyed the introduction of the moles (my favourite illustration was the difference between a happy mole and a probably not a happy mole) and it was great to see Wilbur again (forced to work as a stable hand for the Mouse King because the family basement has flooded). If I’ve got a quibble, it’s that I’d have liked a bit more Mumfrey (who didn’t really have much to do here) but that’s really a minor comment because this is a funny, warm and clever reworking of a known fairytale and it’s great to finally see a strong female hamster character. I will definitely read the next in this series.
When Harriet hears about twelve mice princesses cursed to dance all night long, she knows she’s just the rodent to save them. After all, Harriet is practically a professional curse-breaker. (Reversing her own curse only backfired a little!)
And never mind that the princesses’ father, the Mouse King, had more of a boy hero in mind. Handsome princes are so overrated.
It’s several months since HARRIET THE INVINCIBLE. Harriet is bored. There are no ogres to fight, the removal of her curse means that she can’t cliff dive any more and she’s been banned from jousting competitions. Fortunately she bumps into a mysterious old shrew who tells her about 12 mice princesses who are cursed to dance all night long and whose father, the Mouse King, has promised half his kingdom and marriage to the eldest princess if someone can reveal where the princesses are going and why they’re dancing all the time. Harriet is more than up for the challenge and even though the Mouse King would prefer a male hero (and has some very unusual home ideas about home decoration), beggars can’t be choosers so Harriet is given the job. But even the indomitable Harriet isn’t prepared for what she finds and more than ever, she’s going to need the help of her spirited battle quail, Mumfrey, and hamster prince Wilbur …
The second in Ursula Vernon’s HAMSTER PRINCESS SERIES for children aged 8+ is another delight from beginning to end. This book riffs on the Grimm fairytale of THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES, which Harriet proceeds to resolve in her own inimitable style, mixing stubbornness and practicality in equal measure. As with the first book, the illustrations are brilliant and really add to the story rather than just illustrate what happened. Given that there are 12 mice princesses here, it’s perhaps inevitable that they don’t all get proper character development, but I did like August and her quick thinking. The Mouse King makes an interesting villain (particularly his interesting views on interior design) and although the ending isn’t really in doubt, I really enjoyed the introduction of the moles (my favourite illustration was the difference between a happy mole and a probably not a happy mole) and it was great to see Wilbur again (forced to work as a stable hand for the Mouse King because the family basement has flooded). If I’ve got a quibble, it’s that I’d have liked a bit more Mumfrey (who didn’t really have much to do here) but that’s really a minor comment because this is a funny, warm and clever reworking of a known fairytale and it’s great to finally see a strong female hamster character. I will definitely read the next in this series.
The Verdict:
The second in Ursula Vernon’s HAMSTER PRINCESS SERIES for children aged 8+ is another delight from beginning to end. This book riffs on the Grimm fairytale of THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES, which Harriet proceeds to resolve in her own inimitable style, mixing stubbornness and practicality in equal measure. As with the first book, the illustrations are brilliant and really add to the story rather than just illustrate what happened. Given that there are 12 mice princesses here, it’s perhaps inevitable that they don’t all get proper character development, but I did like August and her quick thinking. The Mouse King makes an interesting villain (particularly his interesting views on interior design) and although the ending isn’t really in doubt, I really enjoyed the introduction of the moles (my favourite illustration was the difference between a happy mole and a probably not a happy mole) and it was great to see Wilbur again (forced to work as a stable hand for the Mouse King because the family basement has flooded). If I’ve got a quibble, it’s that I’d have liked a bit more Mumfrey (who didn’t really have much to do here) but that’s really a minor comment because this is a funny, warm and clever reworking of a known fairytale and it’s great to finally see a strong female hamster character. I will definitely read the next in this series.
