The Princess and Her Panther by Orr

The Princess and Her Panther
by Wendy Orr
Illustrated by Lauren Stringer

What it's about in one sentence:
Two imaginative sisters try to be brave when they hear scary sounds while camping outside in their backyard, finally deciding "Enough is Enough!"


What I love:
I love the creative play of the two sisters, one dressed as a princess and the other as a cat. Right away a loaded down wagon turns into a camel caring their belongings, and the sandbox turns into a desert to cross. The illustrations capture the imaginative world of the sisters in a wonderfully fanciful way.

Once evening comes and it gets dark, the leaves overhead and nearby animals sound increasingly scarier to the two sisters.
"The Princess is brave, and the panther tried to be," but with more and more noises, "The Princess tried to be brave, and the panther tried to try."

 Eventually they both summon the courage to shout together, "Enough is enough!" scaring away all of the animals making frightening sounds.

My favorite part:
Stringer's illustrations are so absolutely luscious I want to dive in and swim around in them. The facial expressions on the sisters as they try to be brave perfectly reveal the changes in their emotions as the story develops.

Other Connections:
This book is a perfect read aloud for talking about realistic fiction.
The story of the sisters takes the reader on a fantastical journey with leaf-snakes and frog-monsters that is totally grounded in reality.

• Is it realistic for children to pretend when they play? Absolutely.
• Is it realistic for rustling leaves or hooting owls to make noises that might sound scary in the night? Yes. 

Excerpt from Princess and Her Panther read by author Wendy Orr:



I must also mention that Lauren Stringer along with being an amazing illustrator, is also a fabulous person and a fellow Minnesotan!
Find out more about her at her website: http://www.laurenstringer.com