The Princess & The Christmas Rescue

by Caryl Hart, Sarah Warburton (Illustrator)

Princess Eliza is lonely in her beautiful snow palace. Stuck inside all day with no one to play with, she figures out how to make almost anything with a few bits of wood and some string--including her own toys! Anything, that is, except the thing she wants most . . . a friend. As she sets off to find one, Eliza is excited to stumble across a group of elves. But -- OH, DEAR! -- Santa isn't feeling well, and there are still so many presents to make! Could Princess Eliza be just the person to save Christmas?

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Childrens, Holiday

32 pages, Paperback

Published October 5, 2017

About the author

Caryl Hart is an award-winning children’s author who writes picture books and young fiction.

She lives in Sheffield, England with her family and loves running, walking, cafes and snuggling. Her favourite place is the library because it's warm and full of books.

Caryl runs creative literacy workshops in schools, libraries and for festivals. Find out more on her website: www.carylhart.com

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

4 stars for the illustrations
4 stars for STEM
- 4 stars for the Princess going missing and NO ONE noticing/flipping out/being worring/caring for Pete's sake!!!
-2 stars for Awkward rhymes & parental disapproval of STEM activities

*sigh*

[Mabearbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun Christmas adventure with Princess Eliza as she sets out to find new friends. This story, as well as the bright illustrations is sure to delight children and adults alike.It shows that with a little bit of courage, you can find friends in the most unlikely places. I also loved the representation of girls being able to invent and build things, proving that it's not just a boy thing! Ultimately it's because of Eliza's inventions that Christmas is saved!

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story and I’m always a fan of showing girls that they can be inventors. The only odd thing was that her parents and specifically her mom seemed so against this at first.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King and Queen disapprove of the Princess's desire to succeed in STEM-related fun. She disobeys and saves Christmas. Santa lectures her parents and tells them to stop being so backwards.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young princess Eliza loves to make things but her parents don't think this is a fitting pass time for royalty and they encourage her to concentrate more on finding a friend. Eliza ventures out into the forest where a friendly reindeer finds her and takes her to the elves workshop. The elves are very stressed because Santa is ill and there is so much to do. Over three nights the princess creates three fantastic machines that help to get the letters read and the presents sorted and wrapped. Santa is very impressed and the king and queen finally realise that being an inventor is very cool indeed and they build a workshop for their clever daughter.

The story is told in rhyme and the very colourful illustrations are just wonderful. I enjoyed the nods to several classic fairy tales at the beginning of the book and the 'girl power' message made me smile.

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I could never resist a book with the words 'princess' and 'Christmas' in the title. I'm glad I didn't, because 'The Princess and the Christmas Rescue' is a fun, inventive, creative, crafty, cute, sweet kids' picture book about Christmas, winter, forests, reindeer, elves, Santa's workshop, and, most unimportantly, Santa.

Most importantly, a princess.

The princess herself, Eliza, isn't the future sovereign of Christmas or anything like that, but of some random kingdom near the North Pole, I guess, in an isolated palace in a wood. It's all very cold and wintery, is the point.

Eliza is a little STEM girl - clever, curious, and dexterous. She is into arts and crafts, and is always inventing and building gadgets and contraptions, and generally trying new things. Her overprotective, old-fashioned, backwards parents do not approve of her "unroyal" and "unladylike" ways.

What Eliza wishes for more than anything is a friend; she is very lonely, stuck in her palace like Rapunzel (she also kind of looks like Goldilocks or Bo Peep).

Long story short, she sneaks out in the snow at what turns out to be Christmastime, finds a reindeer, helps the elves at Santa's workshop (Santa is ill, and those poor elves are so overworked!), and saves Christmas. And makes friends just by being kind and helpful. Eliza is rewarded for her talents, artistry, efforts, hard work, charity and altruism.

Another important message is: parents should support their children as individuals, and not treat them as if they're extensions of themselves. Wake up, people! Progress and learn, don't be stubborn and rigid!

'The Princess and the Christmas Rescue' is written in playful and bonny rhymes. It can be a nice storybook jingle.

The book is joyously cartoony and sweet. It is a perfect, quick read for a feminist/STEMinist Christmas. It should be made into an animated Christmas special. Julia Donaldson has had her day. Hi, Caryl Hart!

Wait, Donaldson also wrote 'The Princess and the Wizard', and the princess in that is named... Eliza!

What is going on here!?

Oh, never mind. It's extremely likely it's a coincidence, no need to worry.

'The Princess and the Christmas Rescue' is my last holiday season book, and what a twinkling, tinkering charmer!


Other, similar recommended children's picture books include:

'Power to the Princess: 15 Favorite Fairytales Retold with Girl Power'

'The Fairytale Hairdresser' series

'Interstellar Cinderella'

'The Worst Princess'

'Princess Daisy and the Dragon and the Nincompoop Knights'

'Brave: One Perfect Day'

'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me'

'Princess Smartypants'

'The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess'

'The Princess and the Pony'

'Goldilocks in Space (Futuristic Fairy Tales)'

'Princess Pumpkin Patch'


Final Score: 4/5

[Georgina Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book needs a blurb and here's the one I just found:

Princess Eliza is lonely in her beautiful snow palace. Stuck inside all day with no one to play with, she figures out how to make almost anything with a few bits of wood and some string—including her own toys! Anything, that is, except the thing she wants most . . . a friend. As she sets off to find one, Eliza is excited to stumble across a group of elves. But — OH, DEAR! — Santa isn’t feeling well, and there are still so many presents to make! Could Princess Eliza be just the person to save Christmas?

My reader's review:

I just finished a read aloud video and I've discovered a new holiday favorite! Princess Eliza is a clever and artistic princess that loves to make crafts, but her parents want her to act like a princess and make some new friends. She takes a journey through the woods and finds her way to Santa's toy workshop where his elves are busy preparing for Christmas. How does this clever princess save Christmas? Will she ever find a good friend? Read the book yourself to find the answers. I promise this delightful princess will grow on you. I can relate to her so well, I too would rather make pretty gifts than kiss frogs and grow long hair to get a prince.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hart, Caryl The Princess and the Christmas Rescue. PICTURE BOOK. Illustrated by Sarah Warburton. Nosy Crow (Candlewick), 2017. $17.

Princess Eliza is great at inventing gadgets, but not so good at making friends, especially since she lives so far north. When her parents’ encouragement, she decides to follow the smoke she sees in the distance and outs her inventing skills to good use helping some elves choose, sort, and wrap some much needed presents. While she keeps her helping ways secret, someone important knows exactly who did the helping.

At first I was worried about he rhyming text – sometimes it can really put me off – but for the most part it flows pretty well. Long time blog readers know that I am not a huge Santa fan, but since this is really about Ella, I could enjoy the cuteness of this for what it is.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Jeani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not care much for this story. I did love the quality of the illustrations! The princess shows many good qualities, including resourcefulness, creativity, and problem-solving.

As a mom of daughters, there are a few things I take issue with: 1. all the friends the girl tries to make are male; 2. when she is unsuccessful at this, (her mother and father have shown a less than enthusiastic response to her talents, i.e. it isn't "princess-y") she runs away to try and find a friend; 3. she has been so put down about her skills that she hides them from those around her until the last, rather than being able to be confident in who she is.

Note: My 7 year old daughter quite enjoyed this book. She appreciated how the girl made friends at the end.

[Josephine Valentin]

Prinsessen som reddede julen af Caryl Hart er den fineste julefortælling sat på rim.

Den handler om Elisa der ingen venner har men elsker at opfinde. Hun prøver at finde venner, men det går dårligt. Så vover hun sig ud i skoven og hvem finder hende der? Rudolf, nisser med grønne huer og et værksted der virkelig trænger en snild prinsesses smarte opfindelser.

Den er hyggelig, med skøn julestemning og masser at tale om på tegninger og indhold. Den er fra ca. 5 år og op til alle der synes julede fortællinger om prinsesser der hjælper Julemanden er fjong ❤️

(Og som onkel Reje synger:
Og hvis man ikke tror
på jul og julemand
så er man skør
og kør’ i tosse-trillebør)

[A Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I love that Princess Eliza is a young inventor. I hate that her parents discourage this behavior because it isn't "princess-y" (and they won't let her leave the castle so how is she supposed to make friends anyway?). I hate that Eliza just wanders off by herself and trusts a reindeer who says "don't be frightened" when she gets lost. But I love that her inventions save the day, that Santa supports her creativity, she makes friends by being herself, and that her parents came around.

[Micha O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooray for rhyming couplets, girl power, and fractured fairy tales! Princess Eliza is an inventor, but her parents insist that she makes friends instead. She takes the advice a bit too literally, which results in many giggles. Luckily though, she follows her heart (and a trail of smoke) only to find Santa’s workshop. With the help of her inventions, she saves Christmas, and makes friends in the process. A sweet story sure to please all princesses. Recommended for purchase.

[Rebecca Grabill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This *adorable* book was a huge hit with my 6yo daughter. She loved the story and asked me to build her a house (workshop) in the back yard immediately. The rhyme and rhythm are good, the story clever, and the illustrations a good match for the subject. I also loved the reindeer and the traditional depiction of a reindeer-herder's tent (yurt? not sure). Great small details and fun fun contraptions that inspire the creative imagination of all.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me of Rosie Revere Engineer and the other Andrea Beaty books. It has a young lady protagonist who likes to make things and the kind of rhyme scheme that is perfect for reading out loud. I think it would be best for K-3 because it's a bit too wordy for the 3 year olds at my Story Times.

[Amie Caitlin Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our favourite Christmas book!

Thwarting all the standard Princess tropes of kissing frogs and waiting for a knight in shining armour, Princess Eliza (an inventor) takes matters into her own hands and saves the day using her brain.

Buy. This. Book.

Full review: https://instagram.com/p/BNxVmnPgEDG/

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

We got bored with the rhyming text. Like seeing girls in STEM though.

Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun Christmas story. It has it all. Princess humor. STEM themes. Creativity and problem solving. Friendship. Santa and his elves. A happy ending. I know this is one I will be reading aloud again and again.

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the little engineers will appreciate this one. The princess like's building gadgets, but her mother thinks she needs a friend. A helpful reindeer introduces her to Santa's elves, and you can imagine how much help a little engineer can be when you have a supply and logistics problem to solve.

[Patricia Gmitrovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever girl and her contraptions can even help out Santa and his elves when Santa is feeling under the weather

[Luisa Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

#christmas

[Heather Biggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book to promote STEM with girls!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute book for Christmas! An inventive princess is all alone in her icy castle without a friend. She finds Santa's workshop and creates several contraptions to help him get ready for Christmas.

[Marie-Pier Dodier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Princesse inventrice aide les lutins du Père Noël. Rimé. Beau look scandinave pour la princesse (illustrations).

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story of a princess who uses STEM skills to help Santa get ready for Christmas.

[Samuel Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas can be an awesome time surrounded by friends, but if you don’t have many, it can also be a rather lonely time. One way you could get more friends is to socialise a little and perhaps join a hobby group or two. What is unlikely to help is locking yourself up in a workshop and inventing things on your own all the time. This is exactly how Princess Eliza spends her time, but what caused her to have a lacks in friends may help her when a Christmas crisis occurs.

After spending day after day alone in her workshop Princess Eliza decides to get some fresh air and go for a walk. Soon she is lost, but living in the North Pole it is not long until she meets a friendly reindeer who guides her to a safe place. Eliza finds herself in clover at Santa’s Workshop as she helps the Elves to better use their time by designing some inventions. Will all her work pay off in the form of some new friends?

Christmas books can be pretty hit and miss as it is difficult to come up with a new idea that has the core tenants of Yule; good will, Father Christmas, perhaps even the biblical story itself. You end up with some random books that have a very loose link to anything Christmas based. Thankfully, Caryl Hart has managed to create a new story about a Princess that still feels like a seasonal warmer.

Although Eliza is a Princess it is important to note that she does not really need to be. This is not a patronising story that suggests little girls all want to be princesses and have a tiara. Eliza is very self-sufficient and intelligent and she uses her mind to solve problems as others around her flounder. Hart manages to make a strong female character without belittling the book or the reader – Eliza just seems like a very savvy kid.

With a strong protagonist you cannot help wanting her to find some friends and she does this by being selfless. When she invents new machines for the Elves she does it to help, not to curry favour. The book teaches that if you help others selflessly, you will be rewarded in kind. This is a warming message that does have Christmas undertones; throw in Santa, elves and Reindeer and you are sorted for all the cheer you can handle.

With a lovely story the book could falter elsewhere, but thankfully publishers Nosy Crow and illustrator Sarah Warburton have done justice to Hart’s story. The version I read was a lovely A4 hardback that felt special to hold. Inside are Warburton’s colourful images that tell the sweet story by creating characters you can identify with. There are also lots of hidden little extras to discover if you search around the page.

The fact that ‘‘Christmas Rescue’’ is a little more wordy than some picture books means that it is best suited for a slightly older child, 4-6, who is not only reading with you, but starting themselves. The Christmas theme works with the illustrations and warm message to make this a perfect book to hand over on the big day itself, or perhaps even an early December treat to start the build-up. Original review on thebookbag.co.uk