It Started with a P

by Brittany Pomales, Andrew Joyner (illustrator)

From debut author Brittany Pomales comes a hilarious tale about a young king who, on the morning of his birthday party, decides everything that starts with the letter P must go!

King Liam is known for his king-sized meltdowns. So when he has a dream that his birthday party was going to be ruined, he takes drastic measures. The only problem is that he can't remember what was going to ruin the party, just that it started with the letter P! Everything must go! Obviously the party is postponed, but he also says goodbye to pepperoni pizza, piñatas, pants (long, short, old, new, smarty, fancy), parrots; even the royal goat, Percival (after he's eaten all of the abandoned pants), and more.

But... when he sends away all of the people, he finds himself positively alone. On his birthday. Will King Liam ever discover what that pesky and problematic P is?

Brittany Pomales's gift for humor and heart shines in this book that children and adults alike will relate to. Illustrated by the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum, Andrew Joyner, It Started with a P will delight and entertain readers of all ages.

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Royalty, Childrens, Storytime, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 8, 2025

Reviews

[Valerie Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why did this book enrage me, though

[Maryna Doughty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of laughs! I loved the humor in it and all the alliteration! Teachers will love using it when trying to teach alliteration. I loved the ending, too! So funny!

[Stacey Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Started With A P is positively precious! Perfectly playful! Purely pleasing!

With fun, humorous writing, and adorable illustrations, this is a book the whole family will love. Perfect for classrooms, too!

[Y.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an experienced Library Technician, I can assure you that children will love this HILARIOUS picture book. King Liam is a child king who throws tantrums and is used to getting his way. After having a nightmare about something that starts with P, he demands that everything that starts with P must go. And it’s shenanigans all the way till the end!

Pomales is a master of absurd and hilarious storytelling for children, and this book is perfect to read out loud and over and over again. Joyner’s illustrations match all the craziness to the dot.

Prepare to LOL and have a great time during storytime!

[Allison Rozo · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT START WITH A P is Positively hilarious with Plenty of kingly meltdowns and a helpful Advisor to sort out the Problems. Kids will Pick this story to read and reread over and over, trying to think of their own P words as they go. Darling illustrations make this a Perfect Picture book.

[Michael Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT STARTED WITH A P is a delightful, laugh-filled read-aloud. King Liam's quest to banish all things "P" from his kingdom sparks hilarious hijinks and scenarios. The well-paced story, paired with comical illustrations, ensures pure entertainment. Positively Playful!

[Ashlee Hashman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charmingly-illustrated story with tons of potential for educators covering the letter "P". My kids think it is hilarious!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

King Liam is a boy king who is a tantrum throwing tyrant especially when things don't go his way. For instance, when his balloon popped, he insisted that his long suffering adviser enforce a kingdom-wide balloon ban. So it doesn't bode well for his birthday party when he has a nightmare about a P word ruining his party. All items beginning with a P are banned: pancakes, pizza, presents, pants, and so much more. When all the people are sent away, even the princess, and King Liam is sitting on a deserted island, he finally remembers the P word in his dream. This is a delightfully silly story with no real lesson except there are a lot of P words and maybe getting your way when you throw a tantrum may not be a good idea. Whatever, this will be a fun book to share and speculate about what other drama would occur if other letters were banned.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the King has a nightmare the night before his birthday, it's up to the Advisor to make sure everything goes smoothly. Readers see some of the King's overreactions from the past to set the scene. Now all he can remember is that the thing that ruined his birthday started with a "P." So, readers journey along as the Advisor rids the kingdom of everything that begins with this letter. It gets more and more ridiculous and readers will appreciate the humor. By the end, the king remembered what the dream was about and brings everyone and everything back. Of course, the ending sets off a new round of tantrums much to readers delight.

[Stephanie Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful picture book is a hilarious and heartwarming tale about King who bans everything starting with the letter P to avoid a birthday disaster—only to realize he might be the problem. With whimsical illustrations and clever wordplay, the story teaches a gentle lesson about overreacting and missing the joy in front of you. Kids will giggle at the absurdity, while adults will appreciate Cedric’s weary patience. A perfect read for birthdays—or any day!

Five stars for humor, charm, and a P-erfect ending!

[Suhasini Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Started With A P, written by Brittany Pomales and illustrated by Andrew Joyner, is perfectly playful and packed with fun! This pleasant read-aloud follows the peculiar King Liam on his puzzling journey. The pacing and page turns keep kids engaged and curious as they eagerly search for that problematic, pesky P. The adorable sketches, filled with vibrant colors, add to the charm. A fantastic read-aloud for kids!

[Cindy G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss this hilarious book with great kid appeal! The drawings are magnificent – detailed and funny. Kids will love all the P words in the book and coming up with some of their own. Teachers can use this to discuss alliteration. I loved the heart of story and how it shows what happens when you take things to excess and have king-sized melt downs. It’s a lesson we can all learn – and with humor!

[Kelsey Gross · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT STARTED WITH A P is a humorous tale about a king who goes to the extreme to eliminate all the “P” things that could scare him. The text is full of fantastic puns and alliteration, and the illustrations add so much humor. Kids will relate to the desire to run from one’s fears, and there’s a satisfying ending as the king comes to realize that life isn’t always perfect, and that’s okay (but there’s also a wonderful twist!). I highly recommend this story that is sure to get kids giggling!

[Chloe Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Started with a P is a fun romp, and the Perfect Picture book for when learning the letter P in Preschool or kindergarten! This book made me laugh and sometimes nod in agreement. I think a kingdom wide balloon ban is a great idea! The pants scene alone is such a hoot, my family lost it. Giggles galore! And the twist at the end was oh so fun, I won’t give it away, but this is SUCH a fantastic read aloud! 100000/10

[Sandra Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

King Liam's personality and crisis sure brings back memories (or even magnifies my current day parenting). The illustrations and colour are fabulous and brings the text to life. The story is over the top and actually... not really lol (if you have a kid like this in your life, you will know what I mean). the best part of this story is... while the main character might not actually learn his lesson, the reader 'might'. :)

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyful, hilarious, fabulously told, and chock full of the funniest letter ever. Brittany Pomales mines the p perfectly, brilliantly weaving it into a tale that kids and adults will enjoy together again and again. The illustrations perfectly capture the spirit and comedy. IT STARTED WITH A P also makes a great classroom accompaniment to a variety of studies including phonemes, extension of storylines, and plot and character development.

[Jennifer Mason Anyong · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun! I loved how I couldn't predict what was going to happen next, which is uncommon these days! The alliteration was just wonderful and the story was entertaining, with a light lesson on humility. I could see teachers using this in the classroom AND families enjoying it over and over again at home. You'll love turning each page with wonder and I highly recommend YOU pick up a copy!

[Kelly Swemba · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly funny and must read story! Pomales effortlessly takes the readers on an adventure through the kingdom in an attempt to rid the kingdom of all things starting with “P”. I was drawn in by Joyner's colorful and creative art that pairs perfectly with this delightful story. I can see kids asking this to be read again and again! 

[Gabriela Belt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two things came to mind while reading "It Started with a P"...
1. How much fun it was to read! I was cracking up and thinking what a perfect read-aloud it will make.
2. This one will be a definite read over and over again for many readers!
Brittany Pomales delivers a humorous story with a great ending and Andrew Joyner's illustrations are packed with detail. Together, they make a Perfect Pair!

[Lauri Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the king can only remember a "p" item ruined his birthday in his dream last night, he...gets rid of everything that starts with a p. But once he left the palace and his pants, and cancels his party and presents, he remembers what the P item was. Full of hilarious illustrations and comedic moments.

[Donna Marx · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kid has not feared that their birthday party would not be perfect? This is such a relatable story told in a humorous way. The opportunity for learning new vocabulary is endless. And the illustrations keep the reader engaged along with the fast-paced text. LOVE this story and can't wait to share it with my grandsons!

[Christina Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know what I'm reading aloud next time I visit my daughter's class. This story is laugh-out-loud hilarious. It follows a tantruming child king through a series of preposterous efforts to rid the kingdom of everything beginning with the letter P. This story has everything, humor, heart, letter sounds, birthdays, and even the value of community. It's a gem.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading this from the first draft of this story. Brittany has done a great job with this story of the king who didn't want anything that started with a P to come to his birthday. But he can't remember what it was specifically he didn't like so he bans all things beginning with P. Read it and decide if the item is important to the party.

[Alyssa Reynoso-Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and funny book. Imagine a world without P's. My kiddo and I tried to think of as many P's as we could before reading. We tried to imagine a world without pizza or pineapples. As we read we laughed with every page turn. It was clever and the ending was unexpected in the best way. We grabbed a copy for ourselves and are excited to recommend it to everyone we know.

[Marta-Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun for ages 4-7. Some illustrations are small for sharing with a group, but the story and humor makes it a perfect pick for Kindergarten and 1st grade classes. For storytimes about the letter P, birthdays, prince & princesses, or children prone to meltdowns.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prince has a dream that something that starts with the letter P will ruin his party. So they get rid of all things that start with P. A fun take on the alphabet book. Would be a fun read aloud for a letter P ST or for older kids.

[Rozana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Britney Pomales's It Started With a P is a hilarious, new picture book. The writing is humorous, the words are fun to read aloud, and the illustrations by Andrew Joyner are rib-tickling. This book is delightful! Kids and parents will pick this book over and over again.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bad-tempered kind has a dream that something starting with a P ruins his birthday party, so he bans everything in the kingdom that starts with P. Which includes parties, pizza, piñatas, and presents. I loved the page where Cedric has to feed all the pants to the royal goat. 🤣🤣🤣

[Ms. Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny book about a stubborn prince who wants to ensure his dream does not come true. This is silly tale that is sure to have patrons pickled by the pages, parts and patterns of this peculiar plight.

[Nydia Armendia-Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect picture book! Fun to be had for children and grown-ups in this hilarious read aloud. Kids will start to brainstorm what would happen if there weren’t A’s, B’s or C’s! Great for classrooms, too.