We’re used to the Little Princess behaving badly, but this new story shows a different side to her, and is surprisingly tender. She’s proud of her dad, the king, but still wishes he could do things the other dads in the palace can, and, for example, teach her to ride and cook, and swim. Her maid takes it upon herself to instruct her little mistress in these things, but things don’t go well. Feeling fed up and a failure, there’s only one person the Little Princess wants, only one person who can make her smile again … The illustrations have the boundless energy that is the hallmark of Tony Ross, but are also full of warmth and affection.
The Little Princess is jealous of her friends-they all have dads who can do amazing things. The Cook bakes incredible cakes; the King always burns his. The Gardener takes his daughter on adventure-walks through the forest; the King gets lost on his way to bed. The Maid can teach the Little Princess to bake and she can take her for a walk, but will it be the same without her dad?
