{"id":26660,"date":"2015-03-27T23:24:50","date_gmt":"2015-03-28T03:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=26660"},"modified":"2015-03-27T23:24:50","modified_gmt":"2015-03-28T03:24:50","slug":"review-of-princess-sparkle-heart-gets-a-makeover-by-josh-schneider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=26660","title":{"rendered":"Review of Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover, by Josh Schneider"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"princess_sparkle_heart_large\"<\/a>Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover<\/em><\/p>\n

by Josh Schneider<\/p>\n

Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2014. 32 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure if girls looking for a princess book will be delighted or appalled with this one, but I\u2019m hoping delighted. When Amelia is given a doll named Princess Sparkle-Heart, they instantly become best friends. So much so, that her dog is jealous. And when he gets the chance, he rips Princess Sparkle-Heart to pieces.<\/p>\n

However, Amelia\u2019s mother promises that she can put Princess Sparkle-heart back together, good as new. During the process, we get hints of what is going to happen. Amelia asks for extra stuffing, as muscles, for protection. She has a hard time picking just two buttons for eyes. She wants Princess Sparkle-Heart to have some good teeth.<\/p>\n

But the biggest giveaway, I didn\u2019t even notice on my first time through the book.<\/p>\n

All that was left was to find Princess Sparkle-Heart some new clothes. Amelia gathered up all the magazines in the house and looked for just the right outfit.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We see Amelia looking at a spread-out array of magazines titled Fancy<\/em>, with someone posing in a fancy outfit on the cover. What I didn\u2019t notice the first time is that right in the middle of the magazines, Amelia is looking at an issue called Kapow<\/em> featuring a superhero.<\/p>\n

The final result? Let\u2019s just say this is not what comes to my mind when I hear the name \u201cPrincess Sparkle-Heart.\u201d And that dog will not be messing with her again. Though the end page shows a happy scene with Amelia playing with the dog, with the new improved Princess Sparkle-Heart by her side.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a message of empowerment here. Now, it does beg the question: Does empowerment have to be ugly? But anyway, the story is a lot of fun. And believe me, my describing Princess Sparkle-Heart\u2019s makeover will not diminish the thrill of discovery when she first appears in her full madeover glory.<\/p>\n

hmhbooks.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/princess_sparkle_heart.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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