Three young friends with different skin tones wonder what it would be like to be a princess. Positive attributes are listed and supported through facts and profiles of real-life princesses from the past and present from countries around the world, large and small. The list is extensive and at the end of the book, further biographical information is provided for each of the 28 princesses named in the work. The friends learn that anyone can be a princess in their own way by following the examples of the princesses profiled. The illustrations accurately capture the life and impact of each princess. This is sure to be a hit with princess fans, although emerging readers will find the length and font sizes of the text a challenge. However, the diverse and extensive research is impressive.
VERDICT: The book is compelling and a revelation: 28 women worth emulating regardless of their station in life, and a book to return to repeatedly to fully appreciate their inspiring stories.
– School Library Journal, October 2022
A trio of children explore the question “If you were a princess, what would you do?” Alongside the ideas introduced in the main text (“If you were a princess, you would be remembered for marvelous deeds”), Homzie offers tidbits, in a smaller font, about nearly 30 real princesses. The subjects are celebrated for their skills and strengths, from princesses who work to rescue and protect animals, such as Princess Alia of Jordan and Princess Stephanie of Monaco, to royals who defended their lands, including Princess Pingyang of the Tang dynasty in China and Princess Lakshmi Bai, who lived in the 19th century in what is now northern India. The jewel-toned illustrations show the children helping their community, energized by the mountain-climbing, rapping, law-practicing real-life princesses surrounding them.
—Kirkus, September 2022
“I love a book that can grow with children as they learn to sit longer and hear deeper stories. Hillary Homzie has given both large-print words for tiny read-to-me audiences, telling them what characteristics they could have if they were princesses, and then smaller text telling us about real-life princesses and their values and priorities. And Udayana Lugo has illustrated both the real princesses and a beautifully diverse crowd of kids taking on kid-sized tasks in the same directions of serving and loving others.”
–Lisa Yee Swoop, GoodReads, September 2022