The Secret Lives of Princesses

I love children's books, and young adult fiction. The former because of the fantastic illustrations that come along with many of them, and both because of the way that they can just get your imagination going and inspire such creative thought.

I ordered an amazing book for the girls. It is called "The Secret Lives of Princesses," and it is the most wonderfully delightful book I have seen in a while... the stories are inventive and the illustrations are just amazing. I will also be buying more books with the same illustrator simply because it is so beautiful.

The stories are fanciful, and feature the likes of "Princess Babbling Brooke" and "Princess Primandproper." There are also quotes and little snippets throughout that feature things like illustrations of various castle styles - like the Manhattan Walk-Up Castle, and the Inuit Igloo Castle. So fun.

The princesses are all unique, and do not fit the stereotypical princess mold. This is from the book's website: "Everyone knows about Cinderella, Snow White, and other fairy tale favorites. But there are many princesses who have been so well hidden, most of us never heard of them. All of that is about to change."

Unfortunately, the girls are not very interested in it right now. Marina can't read it... and Sasha doesn't want to read English right now. She was also offended by the book's insinuation that a princess "could be fat"... as one of them definitely is. Sasha is very discriminating when it comes to her princesses. For example, she quite hotly disagrees with the statement that Snow White is the "fairest of them all," because it is quite obvious that she is "no pretty." Belle, of Beauty and the Beast, is actually the most beautiful... everyone can see that.

Sigh. Hopefully they will appreciate it later. I will, in the meantime, appreciate it very much. ;)