Books like The Princess and the Pizza
By Mary Jane Auch
For the kid who'd rather invent their own contest than follow someone else's rules, Paulina's story is a cheer-worthy match. Witty, playful, and full of fairy-tale winks — silly on the surface, sly underneath.
Living right next door to the original Cinderella, a resourceful girl named Cinder Edna does the same wicked stepmother's chores but spends her time learning practical skills instead of moping — then the king announces a ball.
A little rock named Petra believes she's a mighty mountain, but a dog's fetch sends her tumbling into a bird's nest, a pond, and a string of brand-new identities.
Two kids stuck inside on a rainy day get an uninvited visitor — a tall cat in a striped hat who promises fun and games while their mother is away.
Six classic fairy tales get turned inside out in rhyme, as Cinderella, Snow-White, Little Red Riding Hood and others swap their storybook endings for wickedly unexpected ones.
A student gets stuck with a science curse after his teacher claims poetry is everywhere in science, and suddenly every rhyme in his head turns into a poem about amoebas, black holes, or the food chain.
A little girl wakes up one Thursday with a full set of antlers growing out of her head, and while the doctor and school principal panic, the cook and kitchen maid find surprising uses for them.
A cheerful little woman chases a runaway rice dumpling deep underground, where she falls into the clutches of a wicked three-eyed oni and must use her wits to escape.
A Siamese cat who imagines he's a bold Chihuahua bounces into his closet and lands in a snowy make-believe forest, where the seven Chimichangos dare him to kiss a frozen princess awake.
A Siamese kitten with an overactive imagination transforms into El Skippito, a mask-and-cape sword-fighter, ready to take on banditos and a bad bumble-beeto to save the day.
A fun-loving king climbs into his bathtub and simply refuses to get out, no matter who arrives to plead with him to come rule his kingdom.
A child imagines an entire day as a horse — galloping through familiar settings, wondering if they'd fit in their clothes, and whether a little sister would get a ride.
A curious kid wonders why snowmen look different every morning — crooked grins, shifted arms — and imagines the wild games they must be sneaking off to play all night long.
