Princess Kim and Too Much Truth

March 21, 2011
After a class lesson about honesty, Princess Kim (who had trouble with that topic in Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew) decides to tell the truth about everything. First up: giving up her princess persona ("It was time to pack up the pink"). She also tells her father that his pancakes are "sort of rubbery," Grandma Betty that her necklace looks like "those slimy rocks from the bottom of my fishtank," and a teacher that her baby is ugly. Kim finally learns that "telling the truth doesn't mean you say everything you're thinking," and that pointing out positive attributes is a way to tell the truth without hurting feelings. Cocca-Leffler's soothing color palette and relatable heroine deliver the lesson with good cheer. Ages 4â8.

March 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 1-This story combines the well-worn narrative of truth versus kindness with the current fad for all things princess-related and sparkly. "Princess Kim" learns from her teacher that "sometimes telling the truth is hard, but it's the right thing to do." She immediately begins to apply this lesson to everything she says and does, putting away her princess things because she's not a "real" princess and giving her honest opinion about her dad's pancakes, her friend's new rain boots, and a classmate's artwork. When Kim tells a visiting teacher that she thinks her newborn baby is the ugliest she's ever seen, Kim's teacher finally steps in. "Telling the truth doesn't mean you say everything you're thinking," she clarifies. Kim quickly repairs her damaged relationships by thinking of comments that are both nice and true and decides that she's ready to play at being a princess again. Adults won't find anything new here, but for some youngsters the message will be fresh. Children who love Jane O'Connor's "Fancy Nancy" books (HarperCollins) or Victoria Kann's Pinkalicious (HarperCollins, 2006) will gravitate toward the sparkly cover image of a frizzy-haired redhead tossing her crown into an overflowing box of princess paraphernalia (though the interior illustrations of Kim's self-imposed exile may disappoint these fans of fanciness). The highlights of this package are the charming expressions of the characters and the warmth of Cocca-Leffler's bright, amusing paintings. Purchase where demand for princess stories is high. Otherwise, steer readers to Patricia C. McKissack's The Honest-to-Goodness Truth (S & S, 2000).-Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2011

Honesty may be the best policy, but Kim's zeal takes this valuable idiom to the extreme. After her teacher's lesson on honesty, she spouts her brutal opinion at every opportunity. The curly-haired redhead wrinkles her nose at her father's breakfast, tattles on her friendly classmate and even criticizes the appearance of a newborn babe ("That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen!"). She dismisses the princess attire she had adored, adamant that imaginative play constitutes lying. When a rather pointed lecture redirects her--"Telling the truth doesn't mean you say everything you're thinking. You might hurt people's feelings"--she makes a point to share one positive statement with those she offended. Cheerful spreads suit the straightforward telling as Kim reclaims her sparkly crown. Nimble purple outlines frame each character. The children's incredulous expressions appropriately build as Kim's outrageous bluntness thwarts any potential diplomacy. Conventional school dynamics and spirited dialogue help to make each scenario recognizable. Clearly character education, subtlety is sacrificed to purpose, but it sparkles nevertheless. (Picture book. 4-7)

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July 1, 2011
At school Kim learns about the importance of honesty. Determined not to lie, she says what she really thinks about her father's pancakes ("sort of rubbery") and--gasp--her teacher's newborn: "That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen!" Kim then learns about soothing hurt feelings. The story, with its lighthearted illustrations, provides good examples of the if-you-can't-say-something-nice principle.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)