Author: E.D. Baker
Illustrator: Cover art – Corbis
© Date: 2002
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 214
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: No
Publisher Recommended Age: 11-13 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Princess Emeralda’s laugh sounds like a donkey’s bray rather than tinkling bells, and she trips over her feet more often than she gracefully curtsies. But if Emma ever wished for an escape from her frustrating life, she never expected it to happen by kissing a frog named Prince Eadric!
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this awhile ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: This one was alright. The romantic theme was not overly strong through most of the story, but it is at the forefront at the end of the story. I liked the idea of the princess turning into a frog when she kissed a frog, but the story didn’t really captivate me. The story had a decent level of adventure that kept me moving through it all the same. I could see this book being a happy place for some readers.
Use caution with younger or sensitive readers, romance and a witch that neglects captured animals may not be a happy place.
Family Unit: Princess Emeralda (aka Emma) lives in a castle with her mother and father, her favorite place is her Aunt Grassina’s room in a tower of the castle.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Emma does not want an arranged marriage with Prince Jorge.
- Emma does not seem to measure up to her mother’s, the Queen’s, standards.
- Emma wants to learn how to change back into a human.
Positive Items:
- Kindness helps Emma on her quest to become human again. Even when she gets herself and Eadric out of a cage they are trapped inside, Emma wants to free all the other caged animals. Those animals then help her in her times of need.
- Eadric has good intentions of wanting to protect Emma, but Emma takes care of things herself. She is the one getting them out of sticky situations.
Items of Interest:
- Emma’s Aunt Grassina is a witch. Emma has other female relatives that are also witches.
- Emma sneaks out of the castle to avoid having to socialize with Prince Jorge. Emma says that he is more interested in himself than anyone else. After she meets Eadric, Eadric says that Jorge would probably like wearing Emma’s shoes.
- Eadric constantly pesters Emma for a kiss. Eadric had been turned into a frog by a witch because he made an unkind comment about what the witch was wearing.
- Emma struggles to learn how to live as a frog. Eating bugs is a hard mental challenge for her. Eadric tries teaching her things, but does laugh when she struggles with things like swimming.
- Emma is unique because she is a princess and can read.
- Emma and Eadric are captured by Vannabe the witch. Animals are in cages and not treated well. Vannabe wants to take the talking frogs’ toes and tongues for a spell.
- Eadric does not like being ignored by Vannabe, so he starts insulting her. One insult is that she is so ugly that she doesn’t have to dye her clothes, one look at her and the clothes die on their own.
- Li’l the bat becomes Emma’s friend at Vannabe’s hut. Li’l goes with Emma and Eadric after they escape. Li’l helps provide lookout.
- Fang the snake is grateful for being released from Vannabe’s, so he provides protection for Emma on her journey back home. He then leaves to follow the love of his life and have baby snakes.
- Emma has a magical touch and wants to learn more about magic and becoming a witch. She believes that being a witch could be useful if she ever decides to get married.
- While Emma spends lots of time with Eadric and they seem to get along well enough, not many strong romantic references are made. The start of the story says that Emma meets her true love when she turns into a frog, but the interactions aren’t overly romantic or crush style. Eadric constantly pesters Emma for a kiss, but she constantly turns him down. At the end of the story, Emma wants to learn more about magic rather than get married.
- Emma’s Aunt Grassina fell in love with Haywood (a man) many years ago, but their romance was not approved. Turns out that Grassina’s mother turned Haywood into an otter and had been living that way for many years. When Grassina and Haywood are reunited, the love is still there. Eadric encourages them to kiss, so they do. Haywood remains an otter. Emma encourages them to plead a case to her grandmother so that Haywood can be turned back into a human.
- Emma tells Grassina and Haywood that maybe her grandmother would be willing to turn Haywood back into a human because her grandmother wants more children. Then Eadric makes a comment something like, “unless you are too old.” That makes Grassina blush.
- The women in Emma’s family are cursed that once they become 16, they will become haggard looking and surly if they come near flowers.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- 9 books are in the series