The Princess's Blankets - Hardcover

Duffy, Carol Ann

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763645478 ISBN 13: 9780763645472

Publisher: Templar, 2009

Synopsis

"A princess lived, once, who was always cold. Even when the bright sun was at its hottest, she never felt warm."

A young princess who can never feel warm. A worried king and queen. A stranger in black with hard gray eyes. A musician with a kind and good heart. Carol Ann Duffy’s powerful new fairy tale explores the depths of human fears, frailty, and love, complemented by a series of beautiful, atmospheric paintings by acclaimed artist Catherine Hyde. Compelling, lyrical, magical — this is the tale of The Princess's Blankets.

About this title

About the Author:

Carol Ann Duffy is one of Britain's most acclaimed poets. She has received the Eric Gregory Award, the Cholmondeley Award, the Dylan Thomas Award from the Poetry Society, and the Lannan Literary Award. She became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was nominated for poet laureate in 1999.The Princess’s Blankets is her first title with Candlewick Press.

Catherine Hyde’s paintings combine symbolism and imagery derived from Greek, Norse, European, and Welsh myth. The Princess’s Blankets is her first picture book.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 4—If ever a picture book deserved to be called "overwrought," it is this one. The pseudo-fairy tale centers around a princess who is always cold (which reminds us of fairy-tale princesses who never laugh and their ilk) and the king's promise of a reward for anyone who can cure her (which reminds us of too many fairy tales to count). After the customary useless attempts, a mysterious, magical stranger appears who seems more bent on destroying the princess than on saving her. He lays blankets of the ocean, forest, mountain, and earth upon her—symbolically raping the country of its livelihood and treasure in an attempt to conquer her spirit. But, hark! A kindhearted musician happens along. He falls instantly in love with the princess and charms and woos her. The blankets fall off, one by one, as she succumbs to his kisses and, well, she marries him. All of this is illustrated with sumptuous, deeply textured paintings that feature copious amounts of metal leaf, which may endear them to those who love glitter. It's all too much. And unnecessary.—Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Templar
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0763645478
• ISBN 13: 9780763645472
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Hyde Catherine