The Princess and the Castle

This is a lovely story about a young girl who learns to accept a new member into her family and conquers her fears. It would be a useful book to open up a discussion about different family situations including the breakdown of relationships and how they can be rebuilt positively. The book features water colour paintings which bring the characters to life. Younger children would enjoy the story but it would be most suitable for children aged 6+ as a tool for discussion. The story is about a small girl called Genevieve. She lives with her mother and brother in a little house in the harbour. When she was young, her father's fishing boat was lost at sea and ever since, she has been scared of the sea. Genevieve spends her time dreaming about being a princess and gazing out of her window at the castle across the harbour. One day, Genevieve watches as a big ship arrive in the harbour with a tall man sailing it. Soon after, her mother introduces a new friend to Genevieve called Cedric; she realises it is the same tall man who was in the boat. At first, she is very reluctant to meet Cedric, however, she soon warms to him and is able to see how happy her mother has become. Slowly, Cedric becomes part of their family. As her affection for him grows, Genevieve begins to worry about Cedric going out on his boat. To help to conquer her fears, Cedric decides to take Genevieve out on his boat with the rest of the family. Genevieve is very apprehensive about this but finally agrees to trust him; they sail over to the castle and she enjoys being a princess for the day. Picture Book / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Lucy Newton, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+