The Very Little Princess

January 25, 2010
In this blend of family drama and fantasy, Bauer plays with the classic notion of a doll coming to life, but in truth, the story is about a girl and her mother. One day Zoey’s single mother takes her to visit a grandmother she never knew existed. Bewildered by the obvious friction between the two women, Zoey explores the house and discovers a tiny china doll, who is brought to life by Zoey’s tear. Zoey has always believed toys could come alive, but is peculiarly rewarded for her faith as the domineering doll convinces Zoey that she is a princess and Zoey her servant. As the relationship between girl and doll develops, Zoey’s mother’s character unfolds in unsettling pieces. Told in alternating points of view between the doll and Zoey, with frequent addresses to the reader—“Just about now, you’re probably wondering what kind of story this is, anyway”—Bauer’s novel raises worrisome, unresolved questions about Zoey’s fate. The characters’ flaws give the story realism and depth, but those expecting a sunny, traditional tale will likely find it more disturbing than magical. Final art not seen by PW
. Ages 6–9.

April 1, 2010
Gr 3-5 -When Zoey's mom whisks her out of their Minneapolis apartment to her grandmother's house in the country (the grandmother she never knew she had), the 10-year-old is excited but curious. Instantly she feels the tension between her mother and Grandmother Hazel. Seeking relief, she explores the house and finds a dollhouse with a beautiful doll in it. When an accidental tear falls from Zoey's eye onto the tiny china face, Princess Regina comes to life and begins to order Zoey around. The doll returns to her inanimate state when her mother leaves without a promise of return. Bauer weaves a fairy tale into a contemporary story of parental mental illness and resulting neglect. She depicts Princess Regina as alternating between alive and inanimate until she is touched by Zoey's tears and recognizes the compassion within herself. Now permanently alive, Regina joins Zoey and Hazel (who once owned the doll) and they adjust well to the life they share. While this book can be read simply as a fairy tale or on deeper levels of love and loss, it elicits the magic of The Velveteen Rabbit and Pinocchio, where only through love does one become real."D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2009
Grades 2-4 On the day her mother drives her to the faraway town where her grandmother lives, Zoey learns several startling things: that she has a grandmother, who welcomes Zoey into her home; that her mother intends to leave her there indefinitely; and that the tiny china doll in her mothers old room sometimes comes to life. Handed down through generations of Zoeys foremothers, the imperious doll, Princess Regina, is a strong yet ultimately vulnerable character in her own right. The reader is often made aware of the narrator, who comments on the characters, their situations, and the storytellers task itself. Her amiable, conversational tone could be called avuncular if it werent so clearly feminine. Sayles pleasing black-and-white pictures illustrate the book with sensitivity and wit. While the storys fantasy element does not always meld convincingly with the realistic depiction of Zoeys family problems, at its best this unusual early chapter book succeeds in both areas.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
While visiting the grandmother she didn't know existed, Zoey discovers a tiny princess doll who miraculously starts talking--and bossing. The story is both a sweet tale about a doll come to life and a bleaker, darker tale of a little girl facing some difficult truths. The direct-address narration adds intimacy and helps insure that the serious undertone doesn't overwhelm the story.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2011

Gr 2-4-Rummaging in the attic, Rose comes across a tiny china doll dressed like a princess and shoves it in her pocket. Her mother is sure that her careless, sloppy daughter will break the toy and is reluctant to let her have it. When she reaches for it, it falls from Rose's hand and over the banister. Scrambling down the stairs, Rose finds that the doll is unhurt. The next day, she decides that taking it to school for show-and-tell will impress her classmates. She changes her mind, but her teacher insists that she participate. The child bolts from school, carrying the doll tightly in her sweaty hand. She is not prepared for her to wiggle and squeal to be released immediately. This is one demanding and prickly princess. Even more amazing, Rose discovers that her teenaged brother is well acquainted with the doll. He named her Regina when his mother gave her to him as a little kid. Sam relates how he played with her and got into fights about the doll. The story meanders on with Rose and Regina bickering back and forth, but neither one changing, and Regina wonders if Rose will ever learn to be responsible. These two characters are not likable enough to make readers want to know more about them. Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin's "The Doll People" series (Hyperion) is a much better choice.-Nancy Baumann, University of Missouri-Columbia

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.