Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2014 *Starred Review* Properly pink Princess Magnolia is having cocoa and scones with Duchess Wigtower when her glitter-stone ring signals a dangerous beast at large. Quickly excusing herself, she secretly slips into black garb to become the Princess in Black, off to do battle with a hungry blue monster. Assisted by Blacky, her trusty steed, she executes several ninja moves (including the Princess Pounce and the Hornswaggle Hop), decisively hog-tying her prey. But Magnolia worries that the nosy duchess may snoop, unmasking her secret identity. Meanwhile Duff, an unassuming goat, appreciates the PIB’s talents, and he dreams of one day becoming the Goat Avenger. The authors of Rapunzel’s Revenge (2008) and Calamity Jack (2010), writing here for a slightly younger audience, successfully turn the treacly princess genre on its ear, offering beginning readers a clever, adventurous, and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in black or pink. Pham’s watercolor-and-ink illustrations, rendered in the style of the Disney classics, effectively contrast Magnolia’s identities and emphasize the text’s humor. Clever details (Duff and his goats eat popcorn on the sidelines as they watch the PIB do her thing) and short manageable sentences make for a promising—and sure to be wildly popular—new series debut. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2014 K-Gr 3—In this atypical princess story, the refined and frilly Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with the proper Duchess Wigtower when suddenly the monster alarm sounds. As readers quickly find out, Princess Magnolia is actually the Princess in Black. She dons a black cape and ninjalike outfit to fights the monsters that come from Monster Land. Her superhero identity is top secret; Duchess Wigtower must not find out. While the Princess in Black wages battle, Duchess Wigtower snoops around her castle, always looking for evidence of the princesses' imperfections. Meanwhile, Duff the goat boy suspects the true identity of the Princess in Black and considers helping her. The colorful illustrations on each page help move readers through the story as the heroic princess saves the day. The action-packed text in this beginner chapter book will enthrall and is ideal for independent reading or reading aloud. The ending leaves readers with just enough of a wink to hint at a future installment. Give this engaging read to fans of "Bink and Gollie" (Candlewick).—Nancy Jo Lambert, McSpedden Elementary Frisco, TX - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.