The Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle

The Princess in Black #7

by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

Something smells like trouble! Can five princess heroes and one Goat Avenger pool their talents to vanquish a monstrous stink?

The Princess in Black is in a very stinky situation. A foul cloud is plaguing the goat pasture, and it smells worse than a pile of dirty diapers or a trash can on a hot summer day. But every time the Princess in Black and her friend the Goat Avenger manage to get rid of the odor, they accidentally blow it to another kingdom! Other masked heroes and their trusty companions show up to help, but how do you battle a stench when your ninja moves fail? Fans with a nose for slapstick will be tickled to see the six stalwart friends join their wits to take on an impossibly beastly stink.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Chapter Books, Fiction, Superheroes, Humor, Juvenile

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2019

About the author

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack with husband Dean Hale. They live near Salt Lake City, Utah with their four small children, and their pet, a small, plastic pig.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stunning artwork showcases a whole team of superheroes fighting the big stink along with the Princess in Black and Goat Boy. When the stink cloud refuses to dissipate and infects other kingdoms, a diverse band of superheroes arrive to help fight the menace in the meadow. The first arrival if Flower Girl on Horsefly the pegasus, then Cartwheel Queen on Good Boy, and finally Miss Fix-It on Doom Rabbit the bunny. Readers will see that simply removing the stink from the meadow temporarily only causes other kingdoms to experience difficulty. The team of superheroes must directly confront the threat to neutralize it. They work together well and we finally get a single fight scene (always a favorite) -- Soapy Slip! Water Plash! Twinkle Twinkle Little Splash! Such a fun and visually appealing series. More Princess in Black, please!

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sisters and I love sharing this series, but I'd fallen behind on this one and ony just now got to read it. It was pretty adorable, and as always, I love the illustrations. (LeUyen Pham is fast becoming one of my favorite illustrators. ;) ) I especially loved how well-introduced each princess hero was in this one, especially since I found the large cast confusing in the last book. The little glimpses into each girl's life were really fun. ;) I love how each princess hero (and goatherd and that strange squirrel ?? ) shone in their different abilities during the big battle.

Just a note, the stinky monster is very stinky and there are some descriptions young children might delight in repeating. XD

Altogether, we enjoyed this one! :D

[CHLOE PARK · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because all of the problem are so stinky.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of the princesses are heros! We are here for it!
Zuzu’s favorite parts:
-squirrels turning green (EVERYTHING turning green??)
-also the squirrel is The Goat Avenger’s companion haha
-we love how creative the princesses are with their disguises/companion disguises. BUT... how do you turn a reindeer into a giant bunny?? This is amazing. Also his name is Nottamoose. We haven’t stopped laughing at this
-we both want giant plushies that look like the stinky monster (after he is cleaned of course)
Looking forward to meeting more princesses- especially my girl on a giraffe at the end!

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gusta como ese libro utiliza los personajes de los otros libros en esta serie. Sus diseños son geniales! Me encanta sus disfraces, y cada princesa tiene una personalidad singular, perfecto para los niños. La unica cosa que no me gusta en este libro es el diseño del monstruo principal, porque es demasiado asqueroso para mí.

[Debbie Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are always so fun, and perfect for young readers!

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 6-year-old daughter loves this series so much. Shannon Hale certainly has a knack for writing fairy tales with a modern twist.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this one the kids fight a smelly monster and give it a bath. These are cute but just okay.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

monsters of all shapes and smells, eh?

[Karine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ good book and series, this book teaches heroes to work together.

[Katie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it there were so many new super hero's

[Zoe Surbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very exiting book and i think there is going to be another in the series.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, but nothing special .

[Margie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I look forward to the day when my grandchildren are just a bit older. They will delight in all the adventures that both boys and girls can have nowadays. After all, who says that a pink and flowery princess can't fight evil.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 2021: Having read the rest of the series now, this book was even more fun! My girls all loved it, especially when they saw the cute fluffy monster.

Original read 2019: This was such a cute book! Both my five and three year old girls loved it. They sent almost an hour just looking at the pictures together when we first got it. As we read it, they loved the story, laughing and always wanting one more chapter.

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

This is my favorite in the series so far! Absolutely hilarious. I loved the details in the illustrations and the fun twists and turns it took.

The Princess in Black and the Goat Avenger encounter a stink that they cannot fight alone. Luckily, many new heroes rise to the occasion (as well as a familiar face, the Princess in Blankets) to help fight the unique battle.

As with the other books, the chapters are short and the text is simple. I liked that the structure follows a similar pattern as the reader peeks in on what each princess is doing when they encounter the stink. But there are also some fun breaks from the repetition. The book sets up a nice pattern and then breaks out of it, which is both humorous and engaging.

The illustrations are also fun and I especially enjoyed how the stink manifested on the page, seeping into the pictures and even affecting the characteristic magnolia on the first page of every chapter. This was a very funny touch that made reading even more engaging.

A hilarious book that is gross, action-packed, and full of new characters. I love that we now have a full cast of heroes and I'm excited to see what future adventures lie in store for them.

[Yoshinobu Yamakawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a unique adventure story about the Black Princess and her friends fighting against the Smelly Monster.

The story begins when the pasture is filled with a strange smell and the Princesses try to find out the cause. What is the true nature of the smell? And why does the smell not go away no matter where they go?

The greatest appeal of this work is, without a doubt, its humorous development. The battle scenes with the Smelly Monster are comical and there are many scenes that will make you laugh. In particular, the scenes where the Goat Avenger plays an active role will make not only children but also adults laugh.

And we must not forget the story of friendship. The friendship between the Black Princess and the Goat Avenger gives the story warmth.

The reason I liked this work is not only because it is entertaining, but also because it teaches children important things. For example, the importance of working together with friends, the courage to face any difficulty, and the positive attitude that any problem can be solved.

I truly wish I had encountered such an interesting adventure story when I was a child.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a stinky smell coming from the goat pasture. Princess Magnolia must become the Princess in Black to help the Goat Avenger blow out the stink - but the smell has to go somewhere, so as it invades each kingdom, the other masked heroes come to help. Maybe the smell isn't the problem - perhaps they need to find out what is causing the stink.

Shannon and Dean bring us another terrific chapter book with amazing illustrations by LeUyen Pham, I love this series! Short chapters with easy text, a new reader will quickly feel confident on their own with this fun storyline. While each story reads independently, you should really get them all.

For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series I've read. It's funny, engaging, well illustrated and easily holds the reader's interest. Each princess and their pet has a secret super hero alter persona. As the cloud of stink gets pushed away from each kingdom, another superhero pair gets involved, but nobody seems to be able to figure out where the stench came from, or how to get rid of it. Ultimately, those living in the place where it originated become just as nauseated, precipitating a crisis that leads to a successful solution. As I was reading the story, I couldn't help but think this could also work as a bedtime story to get stubborn kids into the bathtub.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrible smell is torturing everyone and the Princess in Black must work with other masked defenders to fight it. Readers will enjoy the compelling plot, the consistent structure/humor throughout, and the range of diverse characters here. However, considering all of the princesses that are now heroes, it's a little silly that they can't figure out who the others are, and some disguises are better than others. The end also gives the impression that there is much more to come from this series, so fans can only wait and see!

For: fans of princesses and superheroes; readers wanting a quick starter chapter book.

Possible red flags: monster fighting; gross-out humor.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't read this series yet, so we got the first book and read that first. My 4-year-old and I loved it! The illustrations are so much fun and I loved the story of the fiery princess. The first half of this sequel is pretty repetitive as each of the princesses in different areas smell the smell and transforming to heroes. I do like the message of everyone coming to work together and they can’t conquer a monster on its own. I like the diversity of the heroes. The series is so much fun to read aloud. After reading this one and the original, I immediately bought more of the books in the series.

[Beth]

The Princess in Black, with the help of several friends and their
animal companions, is trying to manage a stink in her kingdom.
Introducing so many friends, with both names and secret names
for when they become superheroes, as well as their animal
companions, who also have code names, becomes confusing.
Pham’s watercolor-and-ink illustrations depict a diverse cast
who are frequently cross-eyed. That said, it can’t have been
easy to draw a stinky scent, which is the crux of the story. This
series is showing its age and lacks the fresh feeling of earlier
books.

[Jenn]

read with Xavier and Lexi. Xavier likes to pretend he doesn't like these anymore but he crept closer and closer as I read it aloud outside.

We love this series and number 7 didn't disappoint. While they follow the same outline, each entry is fun, imaginative and adds to the experience. In this story, three more princesses jump into their secret identities. We loved discovering their superhero names as well as their pet sidekick's name. The illustrations are colorful and exciting and add to the tale. Lexi loved trying to find the small monster stuck in the stinky monster's mess.

[Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review.

This is a really fun addition to the series that we already love with lots of exciting clandestine adventures and a chance for minor characters to shine. We read the whole thing in one sitting like we often do with this series. My 4 and 6 year old love to have this series read aloud to them and my 6 year reads it on his own now as well.

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

90 pages. Another great adventure for the princess proves a challenge. This time there is a terrible smell in the kingdom and no one knows where it is coming from. Luckily the princesses and the Goat Avenger join forces to figure it out and get rid of the stench somehow. Color illustrations add to the drama. Girls will like this one, especially if they are already into the series. Highly recommended for Grades 2-3.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

These adorable picture/chapter books for young readers are the perfect bridge for students not ready to leave the comfort of picture books for lengthier reads, or just for any age that enjoy an unlikely princess story. The Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle, continues to showcase the ever expanding league of Princesses... I mean Heroes, and their quest to keep the kingdom safe from monsters and horrible stink. Kids will love all the smelly descriptions.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was great! I read it aloud to my 4- and 2-year-old sons, and we loved seeing the transformation of the stinky monster (my 2yo especially liked pointing out all the things stuck on me). It's getting a little confusing to try to remember all the princess names AND their alter ego superheroes AND the animals AND the superhero-version of the animals. It got to be a little much. But we did love the story!

[Shannon]

Another fun adventure for the Princess in Black and her friends. My daughter really likes these stories and she loved the gooey, dirty monster and how he was revealed to be a big fluffy blue monster underneath. Reading these books aloud is pretty repetitive (they are designed for early readers, not read aloud) so I often skip dialogue tags and such when reading, but my kiddo continues to love this world.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shannon Hale changes up the format of the series in this entry by not revealing what the cause of the stink is until almost the end. Several more princesses in disguise are also introduced paving the way for even more fun in future additions. Fan of the series will be happy to know there is still the signature fight scene with a monster.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Princess in Black and the Goat Avenger learn to work with other superheroes to solve a major problem. They accidentally send the problem to other kingdoms rather than solve it before everyone unites and works together to rid the kingdoms of the horrible stench.
Vivid illustrations bring the story to life as usual.