THE NEWEST PRINCESS

Change can be very scary even for a princess kitty.

The setup reads like a sendup. Cotton-candy–colored kitten Itty Bitty lives in a castle in Lollyland with her parents, King and Queen Kitty. She loves going to school and playing in Goodie Grove with her friends Luna Unicorn, Esme Butterfly, and Chipper Bunny. When an announcement fairy surprises Itty and Luna with the news that Itty’s eighth shooting star is on its way, they know this means that Itty will be an official princess in just a few days. She soon learns this means she’ll have a new tutor, new hairstyle, and new bedroom…that’s a lot of changes for someone so itty bitty. She likes the tiara, but the rest upset her tummy. Will understanding parents and friends be enough to help her through? This series starter features large, inviting type, short chapters, and black-and-white cartoon illustrations of large-headed, supercute creatures on nearly every page. Young readers facing changes will identify with Itty’s emotions, though most won’t be given the option to refuse it, as she is. For those new to chapter books who are obsessed with kitties, princesses, and fairies, this earns a glitter-spewing shooting star…all others should have the insulin handy at first exposure.

Empty calories surround some emotional truth.