Review: Power of a Princess by E. D. Baker

Power of a Princess (More Than a Princess #2)
E. D. Baker
Bloomsbury USA Kids
Published November 19, 2019

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About Power of a Princess

From beloved author E.D. Baker, an adventurous tale about a princess who is more than what she seems — and a kingdom whose fate rests in her hands.

Aislin is more than just a princess. Born to a fairy king and pedrasi queen, she’s strong, smart, and brave, with magical gifts she’s only beginning to discover. Aislin has spent her whole life keeping her family’s gifts hidden from the non-magic folk who surround her kingdom, and is shocked to find out the humans knew about these enchantments all along. But when the fairies decide to move back onto human territory, it soon becomes clear that some will not be happy about this change.

As she sets out to restore the balance, Aislin chooses a surprising group of young women to join her – girls she knows are brave and loyal, but who don’t have the qualities of typical guards or princess confidantes. Things only get more complicated when an old foe appears, surely up to no good. The princess knows she has the power and ingenuity to stand up for herself and her kingdom, especially with her friends by her side – will that be enough to set things right?

E. D. Baker is the author of many beloved books for young readers, including THE FROG PRINCESS, which was the inspiration for Disney’s THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG. A classic and original fairy tale that celebrates goodness in all shapes and sizes, MORE THAN A PRINCESS will resonate with readers who love magic, suspense, girl power, and adventure.

My Review

Right before I read POWER OF A PRINCESS , I read THE GIRL WHO FLEW WITH DRAGONS, which has a lot of adventure and action in it. By contrast, POWER OF A PRINCESS is a lot more of an internal story. There’s still action, but a lot of things happen through Aislin puzzling them out in her mind or through dialogue with others, so the pacing is very gentle.

The story is also very family-oriented. Aislin spends time with her parents and grandparents, and it’s clear she has close relationships with all of them and that they’re all a positive influence in her life.

POWER OF A PRINCESS also explores some ideas about isolationism and how it can cause harm by increasing fear of an outside group. Aislin and her family must decide how to respond to the fears of their people and rumors that circulate based on those fears.

I think this book would be a great pick for a more sensitive reader or someone looking for a thoughtful read. Also check out my review of THE FROG PRINCESS RETURNS by E. D. Baker.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12

Representation
Aislin is elf and pedrasi (a cave-dwelling group with stone-based magic).

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Use of magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. No graphic violence.

Drug Content
None.

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