LA PRINCESA AND THE PEA by Susan Middleton Elya

Middleton Elya, Susan. La Princesa and the Pea. Illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2017. Print. 

I'm always looking for twists on the traditional fairy tale. The book I'm sharing on my blog today fits the bill -- in a delightful way! And it is a picture book!! 

This one takes place in Peru, and Spanish words help tell the story of a queen out to find a princess for her son, el príncipe. A young girl rides into town, and the prince thinks she might be the one! But his mother la reina wants to put the princess through a test first. Out come the mattresses and the pea, and the stage is set for the twist. 

Because I don't want to spoil the story, I will only tell you that the prince has a way to make sure his choice for queen passes the test. And it shows his cleverness as well as his determination. 

I appreciate how the story is told in rhyme, and the Spanish flows well throughout the narrative. Readers will find a glossary in the beginning that helps with pronunciation and meaning. Every word in red is shown in the glossary. Many of the words reminded me of my grandmother, who used to (lovingly) call me pobrecita (poor thing!). 

And, of course, I SO appreciated the illustrations! Throughout the pages, I encountered lush hues of red I might not have ever seen before! What also struck my fancy were the intricate patterns displayed in the quilts and characters' clothing. Such detail! Stunning, yet soft. The most notable illustration in the book (to me) is the double page spread in which the queen realizes she has been foiled. The cat atop her hat mirrors her disgust in both expression and emotion, and the gutter on the page is skillfully placed at the edge of her poncho. (I also loved discovering the huge safety pins in her hat during one of my readings. Although they are pronounced, I didn't note them at first because I was so entranced with the faces and grand use of scale!) 

Indeed, I could write about these illustrations all day long! (So I will tell a little more.) See the faces! See the fringe on the ponchos! And see the sweet soft critters that roam about throughout the story, adding their own energy to the plot. When you read this book, make sure to go to the back to read the notes from the illustrator, Juana Martinez-Neal. It helped me treasure the artwork even more. 

This book is celebrating its book birthday today!!