The Perfectly Proper Prince

A book review for parents

This first fantasy book in the "Princess Power" series by Suzanne Williams is published by HarperCollins Publishers

The Perfectly Proper Prince is written for kids ages 6 to 8. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.

Plot Summary

Sewing, decorating and other princess duties bore Lysandra. She'd rather learn to fight with swords like her cousin, Owen. Lysandra cooks up a scheme to find friends to go on adventures with her: She invites other princesses to try out for a talent show at her palace. When she picks out the three girls she hopes will be her new friends (Fatima, Elena and Tansy), she tells the other princesses she has the plague and the talent show has been cancelled. With the boring girls out of the way, Lysandra, Fatima, Elena and Tansy explore their world and find a prince-turned-frog who has long loved Lysandra's decorous older sister, Gabriella. A royal wedding follows. Fatima, Elena and Tansy return home, vowing to reconvene for other escapades in the future.

Christian Beliefs

None

Authority Roles

Lysandra's mom and dad appear briefly. She asks them if she can host a talent show, and each parent says it's fine if the other approves. Gabriella attempts to keep Lysandra in line by checking up on her, spouting etiquette tips and referring to her favorite book, Courtly Manners and Duties.

Other Belief Systems

Prince Jonathon studies magic under a wizard. Lysandra determines that with the magical abilities she and her new friends possess, their "princess power" will allow them to go anywhere and do anything.

Profanity/Graphic Violence

None

Kissing/Sex/Homosexuality

Prince Jerome kisses Gabriella after she agrees to marry him.

Awards

Unknown

Discussion Topics

If your children have read this book or someone has read it to them, consider these discussion topics:

• Lysandra practices dishonesty throughout the book. She lies to her parents, sister and the other princesses about her motives for hosting a talent show. Then she tells the unwanted princesses she has the plague to get rid of them. She and her new friends sneak out of the palace several times in search of adventure.
  What dangers and problems can result when young people lie, sneak out or break their parents' rules?
• Fatima (age 12) and Jonathon (age 13) take an hour-long, unchaperoned ride on a magic carpet. This event may lend itself to additional discussion about when and if it's a good idea to be alone with members of the opposite sex.

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. A book's inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.