July 1, 2011
Gr 4-6-In the eighth installment (Bloomsbury, 2010) of E. D. Baker's "Tales of the Frog Princess" series, the wedding plans of Princess Millie and her fiance, Audun, are interrupted by one catastrophe after another. While her magically talented parents, great-aunt, and great-uncle are all away solving problems, Millie is left to manage the affairs of Greater Greensward and take care of her baby brother. Since she doesn't have magical talents, Millie uses her ability to change into a fire-breathing dragon, and the generous assistance of her Ice-Dragon fiance, to outsmart the evil plants and creatures that are suddenly troubling the kingdom. While she is away fighting evil, her baby brother is kidnapped, turned into a frog, and released into the swamp. With the help of many magical creatures, Millie and Audun manage to confront the family's enemy, the evil wizard Olebald, and reunite the family. Katherine Kellgren uses vocal variations to distinguish among characters and to differentiate between dialogue and narration. Her expressive reading conveys the characters' tension, anger, and fear. The series' finale brings together the many magical creatures who were introduced in previous books and revisits some areas of the kingdom that are familiar to Millie and Audun. An enjoyable listen for fans of the series as well as those unfamiliar with the previous titles.-MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY
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