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The Princess and the Pea
a retelling of the story by Hans Christian Andersen
24 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 11, 2014
I had to wait to review The Princess and the Pea until I had time to blockquote that crap, so hello again, book I couldn't actually read to my kid because oh my God.
I wanted to find out more about the author, Margo Lundell, after reading this tripe, but I can't find any bio information online although books written by Lundell have publishing dates stretching from 1985 to 2004.
And that's the thing that mystifies me most: this was published in 1994. I realize that I am old and that's the distant misty past now, but I honestly thought it was a reprint of an older Little Golden Book on first read-through.
Lundell's retelling follows the original Andersen story's bones but adds embellishments like the queen being miffed that her son wouldn't ask for her help figuring out who was a "real princess." When the son takes off to search the world for a princess, the queen waves as he leaves, "shaking her head over the whole business."
To flesh out the story and make it more educational, I guess, the prince travels to different countries, where we learn what each country's version of "princess" is, supposedly. We also learn that the prince is a real sexist toolbox. Here are the reasons he decides three women are not "real princesses":
1. In France, la princesse Mirabelle (who lives in a huge chateau) eats nine chocolate truffles in a row. Quelle horreur!
2. In Arabia, a great pasha's daughter rides a horse. BUT WAIT, WHAT IS THIS?!
SHE IS CLEARLY A MONSTER!
3. In India, the daughter of a great raja eats grapes without asking her servant to peel them first.
He gives up and goes home after that, obviously. Good news! If you've visited three countries -- well, two countries and a peninsula -- you've traveled the whole world! The prince arrives back at his castle, sad because all the "princesses" were fake unladylike people who ate things, and his dad comforts him. His mom is still eye-rolling because he hasn't asked for her help yet.
Of course, there's also the fact that two of the three women he visited when he traveled the world aren't real princesses because the daughter of a raja and daughter of a pasha aren't technically called princesses, as far as I know. But I don't know much because I'm not a prince so grain of salt, etc.
Anyway, we understand by now that this prince is a very special dude who only deserves the best, if by "the best" you mean "to be eaten by bears." It's okay, his luck will change soon! There is a storm, a strange woman appears at the door all bedraggled, with dainty toes, and the king invites her in and finds out she's a PRINCESS so he sends for the prince so the prince can do some more judging.
Happily, the prince finds rain-soaked Princess Candice charming! But how can he be sure she's not another unpeeled-grape-eating harpy? FINALLY the prince asks his mother for help. His mother rejoices because she's finally useful, thank God, and of course she likes Candice immediately. When we like somebody we humor our son's whiny ass by torturing our new friend as much as possible, so she puts a pea on the bed frame and piles on the mattresses, and you know that part already.
An uncomfortable Candice tries counting castles and handsome princes (I bet the prince would just love that one) but has a terrible night and everyone else is THRILLED to hear about it the next morning. In the picture accompanying this page, the prince hasn't come downstairs yet, which is probably good because I doubt a REAL PRINCESS would complain to her hosts about an uncomfortable bed.
But since he doesn't hear her because he's sleeping in, his mom lets him know the good news and he's so relieved he gives a hearty fist pump, according to the illustration, and of course since Candice is a real princess, they fall in love by the end of the day and are married within the month.
And that's how the revolution began.
I wanted to find out more about the author, Margo Lundell, after reading this tripe, but I can't find any bio information online although books written by Lundell have publishing dates stretching from 1985 to 2004.
And that's the thing that mystifies me most: this was published in 1994. I realize that I am old and that's the distant misty past now, but I honestly thought it was a reprint of an older Little Golden Book on first read-through.
Lundell's retelling follows the original Andersen story's bones but adds embellishments like the queen being miffed that her son wouldn't ask for her help figuring out who was a "real princess." When the son takes off to search the world for a princess, the queen waves as he leaves, "shaking her head over the whole business."
To flesh out the story and make it more educational, I guess, the prince travels to different countries, where we learn what each country's version of "princess" is, supposedly. We also learn that the prince is a real sexist toolbox. Here are the reasons he decides three women are not "real princesses":
1. In France, la princesse Mirabelle (who lives in a huge chateau) eats nine chocolate truffles in a row. Quelle horreur!
2. In Arabia, a great pasha's daughter rides a horse. BUT WAIT, WHAT IS THIS?!
The prince went riding with Morgiana, and she rode very well. But the princess did not ride sidesaddle, which was the ladylike custom.
"Morgiana sits on a horse like a man," the prince said to himself. "Surely she is not a real princess. I must take my leave."
SHE IS CLEARLY A MONSTER!
3. In India, the daughter of a great raja eats grapes without asking her servant to peel them first.
He gives up and goes home after that, obviously. Good news! If you've visited three countries -- well, two countries and a peninsula -- you've traveled the whole world! The prince arrives back at his castle, sad because all the "princesses" were fake unladylike people who ate things, and his dad comforts him. His mom is still eye-rolling because he hasn't asked for her help yet.
Of course, there's also the fact that two of the three women he visited when he traveled the world aren't real princesses because the daughter of a raja and daughter of a pasha aren't technically called princesses, as far as I know. But I don't know much because I'm not a prince so grain of salt, etc.
Anyway, we understand by now that this prince is a very special dude who only deserves the best, if by "the best" you mean "to be eaten by bears." It's okay, his luck will change soon! There is a storm, a strange woman appears at the door all bedraggled, with dainty toes, and the king invites her in and finds out she's a PRINCESS so he sends for the prince so the prince can do some more judging.
Happily, the prince finds rain-soaked Princess Candice charming! But how can he be sure she's not another unpeeled-grape-eating harpy? FINALLY the prince asks his mother for help. His mother rejoices because she's finally useful, thank God, and of course she likes Candice immediately. When we like somebody we humor our son's whiny ass by torturing our new friend as much as possible, so she puts a pea on the bed frame and piles on the mattresses, and you know that part already.
An uncomfortable Candice tries counting castles and handsome princes (I bet the prince would just love that one) but has a terrible night and everyone else is THRILLED to hear about it the next morning. In the picture accompanying this page, the prince hasn't come downstairs yet, which is probably good because I doubt a REAL PRINCESS would complain to her hosts about an uncomfortable bed.
But since he doesn't hear her because he's sleeping in, his mom lets him know the good news and he's so relieved he gives a hearty fist pump, according to the illustration, and of course since Candice is a real princess, they fall in love by the end of the day and are married within the month.
The king's subjects loved their new princess. They also loved the story of the princess and the pea and told the story to their children for many years to come.
And that's how the revolution began.
December 6, 2018
I would have given it 1 star but because of nostalgia i give it 2 star..... Oh my God i can't believe i loved this book when i was child. What kind of massage is this for young girls.totally nonsense. And how the princess couldn't sleep after having 10 buckets it ultimate nonsense.when i read the book I used to behave like her and i used to check my bad before going to sleep like 10 times... Please don't poot this kind of crap on children's mind they are delicate they wouldn't understand what is right or what's wrong.. And the Prince don't Get me started ... This book contain no good massage .... I don't Even understand what the book is saying..
July 29, 2019
A childhood favourite. Something about this story fascinated me as a kid and I read it many times. I still have very fond memories of it -- just seeing the cover makes me smile. 💖
February 9, 2021
Ok, so my mom was invited to a baby shower, and each guest was told to bring A Little Golden Book with a note for the baby to read when they grow older. While in the local book shop, I saw this book and decided to get it. I wanted to get some books on princesses/fairy tales so I could learn how the stories go if I wanted to write my own version of them if I ever become an author.
I wasn't familiar with this story, so I was interested to see how it went. I think I saw one retelling on it on goodreads a few years ago, but I haven't read it.
I'm a little embarrassed to read a book of this size as my reading challenge, but I'm doing it anyway.
It's amazing how many problems you can have with a book that was 24 pages long.
You’d have to really elaborate and change this to make it into a good story.
I love the artwork &colors in here. They're so pretty. That's what I noticed in the bookstore, and again as I read it.
He comes across as a spoiled prince. ‘However, she had to be a real princess, and nothing less would do.’
‘princesses of all kinds traveled from neighboring kingdoms to meet the prince. For one reason or another, the prince did not believe that the young women were truly princesses, and he sent them all away.’
what reasons did he turn away all these princesses?!
He did get points for wanting to find out if the princesses were real by himself, though. I found it odd when his mom just shook her head then.
The princess from france looked like she could have been his mother!
He discarded princesses for ridiculous reasons. the French woman eating nine chocolate truffles I can halfway understand, just because it's excessive. But the Arabian princess riding a horse like a man I took umbrage at. I always love tomboy characters who flout society's rules.
The Indian princess not asking the servants to peel the grapes first! that's beyond ridiculous!
He comes back home after that, saying he couldn’t find a princess anywhere else in the world. That was only 3 places!!
I thought it was cute how his mother just shook her head, waiting for him to ask her help.
Candace Alicia Royale. Royale is a little too close to royal, which is what she is, not what her last name should be.
So they piled ten mattresses and ten blankets on the bed, but the bed itself grew. The headboard and foot board.
“I lay on something so hard that I am black&blue all over.” how would a pea make you black&blue all over?!
‘the prince was relieved. He smiled warmly at Candace Alicia. Before the day was over, he and the princess were in love.’ oh boy! the instant love of these old-fashioned stories.
Cute ending: ‘As for the pea itself, it was put on display in the royal museum. You may see it there still, if someone hasn’t taken it. And that, of course, is a true story.’
what it came down to was the story just being ridiculous. I would love to find that retelling I saw on goodreads in the past, and I would like to give this story another try. even though this is a ridiculous story all way around, and has some major problems with it, I'd like to hear someone else's take on it. and to read a more in-depth version of it. It's way too short, and ridiculous, even for kids.
I wasn't familiar with this story, so I was interested to see how it went. I think I saw one retelling on it on goodreads a few years ago, but I haven't read it.
I'm a little embarrassed to read a book of this size as my reading challenge, but I'm doing it anyway.
It's amazing how many problems you can have with a book that was 24 pages long.
You’d have to really elaborate and change this to make it into a good story.
I love the artwork &colors in here. They're so pretty. That's what I noticed in the bookstore, and again as I read it.
He comes across as a spoiled prince. ‘However, she had to be a real princess, and nothing less would do.’
‘princesses of all kinds traveled from neighboring kingdoms to meet the prince. For one reason or another, the prince did not believe that the young women were truly princesses, and he sent them all away.’
what reasons did he turn away all these princesses?!
He did get points for wanting to find out if the princesses were real by himself, though. I found it odd when his mom just shook her head then.
The princess from france looked like she could have been his mother!
He discarded princesses for ridiculous reasons. the French woman eating nine chocolate truffles I can halfway understand, just because it's excessive. But the Arabian princess riding a horse like a man I took umbrage at. I always love tomboy characters who flout society's rules.
The Indian princess not asking the servants to peel the grapes first! that's beyond ridiculous!
He comes back home after that, saying he couldn’t find a princess anywhere else in the world. That was only 3 places!!
I thought it was cute how his mother just shook her head, waiting for him to ask her help.
Candace Alicia Royale. Royale is a little too close to royal, which is what she is, not what her last name should be.
So they piled ten mattresses and ten blankets on the bed, but the bed itself grew. The headboard and foot board.
“I lay on something so hard that I am black&blue all over.” how would a pea make you black&blue all over?!
‘the prince was relieved. He smiled warmly at Candace Alicia. Before the day was over, he and the princess were in love.’ oh boy! the instant love of these old-fashioned stories.
Cute ending: ‘As for the pea itself, it was put on display in the royal museum. You may see it there still, if someone hasn’t taken it. And that, of course, is a true story.’
what it came down to was the story just being ridiculous. I would love to find that retelling I saw on goodreads in the past, and I would like to give this story another try. even though this is a ridiculous story all way around, and has some major problems with it, I'd like to hear someone else's take on it. and to read a more in-depth version of it. It's way too short, and ridiculous, even for kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2009
This story--and particularly this telling of it--illustrates the things I find disturbing about the whole "princess" movement.
February 27, 2016
Adorable cover. Very cute pictures, colorful and makes you want to look at all the details. Some of the characters were so cute, they were just adorable. The artwork was nice, I just wish the story had gone along with that. I wish I had the pages and some blank space without these words so I could write in another story.
“The stubborn prince shook his royal head.” His royal head? Does he also take his royal foot out of his royal shoe?
I did think it was admirable that the prince insisted on searching for princesses himself. His mom offered to find out if they were real princesses and he said he had to do it himself. When no more princesses came he set off on a quest to find one. If nothing else it teaches responsibility.
Though educational, the French words were a little much for this children’s book. Chateau, la princess, enchantee, adieu. Princess Mirabelle in France looked almost exactly like his mom, what with the white hair and the dress of the same colors. I felt sorry for her because during tea she ate 9 chocolate truffles and he was shocked, and “he was sure that a real princess would never eat nine chocolate truffles in a row, and so he bade Mirabelle adieu. I saw then what kind of story this was going to be. It was going to teach little girls all of the wrong lessons in life and just harkens back to a time when looks were all anyone cared about.
In Arabia princess Morgiana rides her horse like a man, not sitting sidesaddle “which was the ladylike custom.” So surely she isn’t a “real princess,” whatever that means. In Indian princes Indira got her own grapes out of the bowl, and he sighs and says she didn’t ask her servants to peel the grapes before she ate them—peeled grapes, that’s the best you could come up with?—and so he had to say bye again. He goes back home, “most unhappy” and tells his parents he couldn’t find a real princess anywhere in the world. He only tried 3 times…
Anyway, his mom is shaking her head, wondering when he would ask for her help, whatever that meant. I thought she must be a fairy godmother or something about to conjure the perfect woman.
There’s a storm and someone is knocking on the door, so the king goes and opens the door himself. You’re really having the king open the door? So, what, is he not a real king because he answered the door himself and didn’t have a servant do it, or are you only finding problems with girls that aren’t “perfect?”
“There stood a beautiful young woman, soaked from head to dainty toe.”
Major eye roll. Her dainty toes. And her name is Candice Alicia Royale. What a name.
The mom orders the servants to prepare her bed, nice lesson in life to go ordering people about, and places a pea underneath ten mattresses and ten heavy quilts. How very odd. I know she’s a queen and her son is a prince so it’s standard to have servants, but writing all these orders for the servants in a children’s book might give kids the wrong idea.
I thought it was weird the author wrote “the exhausted creature tossed and turned” in reference to Candice. It’s just weird to call her a creature, especially since she’s a real princess. And the line “That night the princess was not comfortable” just made her sound really spoiled. And she moans “Oh me, oh my” as she tosses and turns. How very polite complaining from the real princess. She goes on to count castles, one of which looks like it belongs in China and another India. She also counts handsome princes. Note that the prince is not in here. The prince of the story who is thus far nameless. He is known simply as “the prince.” And she, when she isn’t being called by her 3 names, “the princess.” One of the princes from her dream is Indian and another a Viking. Where she would have come across a prince from Indian and a Viking prince I’m not quite sure. And a questionable choice not to have her future husband among the list of princes she deems handsome. Oh, and the princess looks terrible when she’s tired!
The queen asks if she slept well and she wearily replies that she scarcely slept at all. She’s black and blue all over from laying on something hard. So, the pea that the queen placed under 10 mattress and 10 heavy quilts has caused this girl to have bruises all over her body. The queen is delighted, she tells her son “Candice Alicia is a gem. Anyone delicate enough to feel a pea through ten quilts and ten mattresses is a real princess.” I’m just shaking my head and rolling my eyes at that stupid pea test. And then and only then does the prince defrost. He smiles warmly at Candace Alicia. And before the day was over they’re in love!
You can’t have someone fall in love in a day. That’s so irresponsible to make children think they’re going to fall in love with someone in less than a day and that princesses must get with princes and guys are only looking for perfection, because such a thing doesn’t exist and everyone’s definition of their “perfect” match isn’t the same. There’s no standard out there. Such a bad message being portrayed here, it’s just terrible. And less than a month later they’re married, and everyone loves the story of the princess and the pea and they tell it to their children.
“And as for the pea itself, it was put on display in the royal museum. You may see it there still, if someone hasn’t taken it. And that, of course, is a true story.” Cute notion, but I think children would be wanting their own peas to find out if they’re real princesses, or putting a pea under their bed and being disappointed when they don’t feel it through their mattress, or trying to get their parents to buy 9 more mattresses and 9 quilts to sleep on after they slip a pea at the bottom. I don’t know, but this story was a fail on every count. First, on placing such important on being royal, second on looks, having servants do things for you and ending on the most unrealistic love possible. And the prince didn’t even have a name. The author literally didn’t give the male lead a name. I can’t even fathom not naming a character. I wonder if the HRH on the tablecloth meant something. Alas, we’ll never know.
“The stubborn prince shook his royal head.” His royal head? Does he also take his royal foot out of his royal shoe?
I did think it was admirable that the prince insisted on searching for princesses himself. His mom offered to find out if they were real princesses and he said he had to do it himself. When no more princesses came he set off on a quest to find one. If nothing else it teaches responsibility.
Though educational, the French words were a little much for this children’s book. Chateau, la princess, enchantee, adieu. Princess Mirabelle in France looked almost exactly like his mom, what with the white hair and the dress of the same colors. I felt sorry for her because during tea she ate 9 chocolate truffles and he was shocked, and “he was sure that a real princess would never eat nine chocolate truffles in a row, and so he bade Mirabelle adieu. I saw then what kind of story this was going to be. It was going to teach little girls all of the wrong lessons in life and just harkens back to a time when looks were all anyone cared about.
In Arabia princess Morgiana rides her horse like a man, not sitting sidesaddle “which was the ladylike custom.” So surely she isn’t a “real princess,” whatever that means. In Indian princes Indira got her own grapes out of the bowl, and he sighs and says she didn’t ask her servants to peel the grapes before she ate them—peeled grapes, that’s the best you could come up with?—and so he had to say bye again. He goes back home, “most unhappy” and tells his parents he couldn’t find a real princess anywhere in the world. He only tried 3 times…
Anyway, his mom is shaking her head, wondering when he would ask for her help, whatever that meant. I thought she must be a fairy godmother or something about to conjure the perfect woman.
There’s a storm and someone is knocking on the door, so the king goes and opens the door himself. You’re really having the king open the door? So, what, is he not a real king because he answered the door himself and didn’t have a servant do it, or are you only finding problems with girls that aren’t “perfect?”
“There stood a beautiful young woman, soaked from head to dainty toe.”
Major eye roll. Her dainty toes. And her name is Candice Alicia Royale. What a name.
The mom orders the servants to prepare her bed, nice lesson in life to go ordering people about, and places a pea underneath ten mattresses and ten heavy quilts. How very odd. I know she’s a queen and her son is a prince so it’s standard to have servants, but writing all these orders for the servants in a children’s book might give kids the wrong idea.
I thought it was weird the author wrote “the exhausted creature tossed and turned” in reference to Candice. It’s just weird to call her a creature, especially since she’s a real princess. And the line “That night the princess was not comfortable” just made her sound really spoiled. And she moans “Oh me, oh my” as she tosses and turns. How very polite complaining from the real princess. She goes on to count castles, one of which looks like it belongs in China and another India. She also counts handsome princes. Note that the prince is not in here. The prince of the story who is thus far nameless. He is known simply as “the prince.” And she, when she isn’t being called by her 3 names, “the princess.” One of the princes from her dream is Indian and another a Viking. Where she would have come across a prince from Indian and a Viking prince I’m not quite sure. And a questionable choice not to have her future husband among the list of princes she deems handsome. Oh, and the princess looks terrible when she’s tired!
The queen asks if she slept well and she wearily replies that she scarcely slept at all. She’s black and blue all over from laying on something hard. So, the pea that the queen placed under 10 mattress and 10 heavy quilts has caused this girl to have bruises all over her body. The queen is delighted, she tells her son “Candice Alicia is a gem. Anyone delicate enough to feel a pea through ten quilts and ten mattresses is a real princess.” I’m just shaking my head and rolling my eyes at that stupid pea test. And then and only then does the prince defrost. He smiles warmly at Candace Alicia. And before the day was over they’re in love!
You can’t have someone fall in love in a day. That’s so irresponsible to make children think they’re going to fall in love with someone in less than a day and that princesses must get with princes and guys are only looking for perfection, because such a thing doesn’t exist and everyone’s definition of their “perfect” match isn’t the same. There’s no standard out there. Such a bad message being portrayed here, it’s just terrible. And less than a month later they’re married, and everyone loves the story of the princess and the pea and they tell it to their children.
“And as for the pea itself, it was put on display in the royal museum. You may see it there still, if someone hasn’t taken it. And that, of course, is a true story.” Cute notion, but I think children would be wanting their own peas to find out if they’re real princesses, or putting a pea under their bed and being disappointed when they don’t feel it through their mattress, or trying to get their parents to buy 9 more mattresses and 9 quilts to sleep on after they slip a pea at the bottom. I don’t know, but this story was a fail on every count. First, on placing such important on being royal, second on looks, having servants do things for you and ending on the most unrealistic love possible. And the prince didn’t even have a name. The author literally didn’t give the male lead a name. I can’t even fathom not naming a character. I wonder if the HRH on the tablecloth meant something. Alas, we’ll never know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2020
Early Primary
Traditional Fantasy
This was one of my favorite fairytales as a child, and this version does a nice job of extending the story to the prince's perspective. It also added a bit of humor from the Queen, as she has a "mother-knows-best" attitude about the whole thing. However, one of the things I noticed but did not remember from childhood, was that there were a lot of small belting comments about what makes a woman ladylike, and mentioned that if she did or didn't do certain things, she wasn't worthy of marrying a prince or of being a princess. It was meant to be humorous, yes, but still rubbed me the wrong way. Overall a great story.
Traditional Fantasy
This was one of my favorite fairytales as a child, and this version does a nice job of extending the story to the prince's perspective. It also added a bit of humor from the Queen, as she has a "mother-knows-best" attitude about the whole thing. However, one of the things I noticed but did not remember from childhood, was that there were a lot of small belting comments about what makes a woman ladylike, and mentioned that if she did or didn't do certain things, she wasn't worthy of marrying a prince or of being a princess. It was meant to be humorous, yes, but still rubbed me the wrong way. Overall a great story.
September 18, 2021
I WAS SEARCHING AND AEARCHING FOR THIS VERSION because this one was my childhood and I loved it and I loved the illustrations!!!
July 9, 2022
art: 2.8
story: 3.1
The art was overdone, and definitely has a modern feel.
I need to read an original rendition so I can tell how this has been modified.
story: 3.1
The art was overdone, and definitely has a modern feel.
I need to read an original rendition so I can tell how this has been modified.
December 17, 2022
Princess and the Pea (LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK) by Margo Lundell – I remember liking this one because the cover was pink! Your little princess will probably approve as well! Happy Reading!
August 30, 2024
A self abusive teen who gets her way after beating herself black and blue. Bet she had bruises between her thighs as well. Slut. Bet the prince snuck in so she can play with his pea. Whore.
Queen of gaslighting tbh
Queen of gaslighting tbh
March 4, 2008
I read this book way before this publish date. And read it to my children. good book
June 23, 2011
I enjoyed this story it was cute. This is a great story to read to children, especially little girls who love princesses.
September 21, 2012
PB2: Colorful illustrations! Another childhood favorite. Teach: "Don't judge a book by its cover."
September 9, 2014
This was a great bedtime story for a kid like me, who tended to be restless and related quite a bit to the poor, delicate princess! It's a whimsical story that is suitable for even very young kids.
March 27, 2009
I'm a sucker for nonsense when it is written like a fairy tale.
September 26, 2015
Not bad for finding this one for a dollar at a neighborhood picnic!! Love this story.
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July 17, 2018GB 30
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews