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Monday, 22 May 2023

Review: The Fix-It Princess

Shona is a problem solver. She's the kind of girl who always finds a solution, an answer. So what will Shona do when her parents go missing? 

This is the story of her attempts to find them when they don't return from a flight on the Wing-Thing she made.

Shona is a princess, dubbed the fix-it princess by her father. Her parents are known to Shona as Dad-King and Mum-Queen. And the three of them live together in the Castle-By-The-Woods. There's also Shona's horse Wildfire, and a bunch of escaping chickens.

The Fix-It Princess, written by Janeen Brian and illustrated by Cherie Dignam, is a fairytale-like story, with Shona off on a royal quest. 

First she needs to wrangle the escaping chickens into some kind of order, and get a 'disagreeable drawbridge' working.

Shona makes and distributes a bunch of posters with pictures of her parents, offering a reward. Unfortunately they result in impersonators appearing instead.

Eventually Shona joins forces with a singing dragon and they travel afield in search of Dad-King and Mum-Queen. You'll have to read the the book to discover what happens, but as is the good fairytale tradition, there is a happy ending.

The Fix-It Princess is a wonderful imagination-fuelled adventure. Great for independent readers, and for encouraging critical thinking and creative behaviour.

Download teacher's notes from the publisher's website.

Title: The Fix-It Princess
Author: Janeen Brian
Illustrator: Cherie Dignam
Publisher: Walker Books, $ 15.99
Publication Date: March 2023
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760654825
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior Fiction