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P Is for Princess: A Royal Alphabet Review by Heidi Strawser

By Steven L. Layne and Deborah Dover Layne
Sleeping Bear Press
310 N. Main Street, Suite 300
Chelsea, MI 48118
800-487-2323
http://sleepingbearpress.com/

P Is for Princess: A Royal Alphabet is another fantastic book by Sleeping Bear Press. I have not been disappointed with any of their books so far; this book was no exception. I would like to call this book "a book for all ages, cleverly disguised as a children's picture book" because that's exactly what it is!

Each two-page spread focuses on a letter of the alphabet; princess stories, both fact and fiction, are used to illustrate each letter. For example, the letter A focuses on Princess Aurora from the classic fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty"; while the letter D highlights Princess Diana ("Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales"). For each letter of the alphabet there is a short, four-line poem appropriate for that letter's topic. What I love best, though, are the historical descriptions and information on each page; I found the text to be very interesting and accurate, and that's what makes this book appropriate for even adult readers.

I am extremely impressed with the illustrations in this book; the illustrators (Robert and Lisa Papp) have done a tremendous job! Each illustration is so rich with colors and details that it seems to jump right off the page. The pictures of factual princesses look so real that it's hard to believe that they are paintings.

Though books by Sleeping Bear Press are not specifically written for homeschoolers, they are so full of educational value that they make a great addition to any homeschool library. Sleeping Bear Press provides downloadable teachers' guides for their books on their website, making each book into a mini unit study, as opposed to just a storybook.

In our family, my soon-to-be-seven-year-old loved the poetry and illustrations; I loved the historical segments; and my thirteen-year-old found some princesses that she would like to learn more about, making P Is for Princess a steppingstone to further learning. What homeschooling parent wouldn't be thrilled with a book that does that?

Yes, I love Sleeping Bear Press! And P Is for Princess will become a treasured book in our collection. I would highly recommend this book for the princess (of any age) in your life. You won't be disappointed.

Product review by Heidi Strawser, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2007

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