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The Princess and the Pickup Truck
Isn't it time there was a fairy tale aimed at girls and women who wear hiking boots, don't comb their hair, and love pickup trucks? The prince in this story wants to marry a real mountain princess, so he searches all the mountain ranges in the world... looking in the Sierras for women in tiaras, and at Glass Mountain for ladies wearing just one shoe. He ends up going home alone, only to be found by a princess who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to set out into the world on her own to find it. The Princess and the Pickup Truck is a modern retelling of The Princess and the Pea, but with a humorous, Appalachian, or at least rural, slant.
- GenresPicture Books
32 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2018
About the author
Bil Lepp
17 books13 followersBil Lepp is an award-winning storyteller, author, recording artist, and contributing
columnist for the Charleston Gazette-
Mail. He has been a professional storyteller for more than twenty years, appearing regularly at The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN, as well as at festivals, schools, corporate events, and other venues around the country. In 2018, Lepp was presented West Virginia’s highest Folklife honor, The Vandalia Award. He hosted the television show Man vs History on the History Channel. For more information and for booking please visit leppstorytelling.com
Lepp's debut picture book, The King of Little Things, was published in September of 2013, by Peachtree Publishers. The King of Little Things won the PEN Steven Kroll Award, is a Bankstreet Irma Black Award Honoree, a Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner, and was a nominee for the Kansas Reading Assoc. Bill Martin, Jr. Award and the Delaware Diamonds Award. The book received a Kirkus Starred Review, as well as favorable reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other sources.
columnist for the Charleston Gazette-
Mail. He has been a professional storyteller for more than twenty years, appearing regularly at The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN, as well as at festivals, schools, corporate events, and other venues around the country. In 2018, Lepp was presented West Virginia’s highest Folklife honor, The Vandalia Award. He hosted the television show Man vs History on the History Channel. For more information and for booking please visit leppstorytelling.com
Lepp's debut picture book, The King of Little Things, was published in September of 2013, by Peachtree Publishers. The King of Little Things won the PEN Steven Kroll Award, is a Bankstreet Irma Black Award Honoree, a Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner, and was a nominee for the Kansas Reading Assoc. Bill Martin, Jr. Award and the Delaware Diamonds Award. The book received a Kirkus Starred Review, as well as favorable reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other sources.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 13, 2019
This was a cute little book. It was a modern retelling of "The Princess and The Pea".
The drawings were a bit childish and looked a bit like they were drawn by a child but I think that would be enjoyed by 4-8 year olds. I was attracted to this book because my daughter is very independent and loves wearing boots, riding 4wheelers, hunting and wants a 4 wheel drive truck as her first vehicle so I thought this book would be cute with her in mind.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
The drawings were a bit childish and looked a bit like they were drawn by a child but I think that would be enjoyed by 4-8 year olds. I was attracted to this book because my daughter is very independent and loves wearing boots, riding 4wheelers, hunting and wants a 4 wheel drive truck as her first vehicle so I thought this book would be cute with her in mind.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
January 7, 2019
The crazy title and the the start of the book won me over. The drawings are colourful and full of stuff, pictures and such, which will enhance the child's imagination and spark many more talking points.
'The Princess and the Pick-up Truck is a modern retelling of The Princess and the Pea', so the blurb goes, which will not cut any ice with the kids; best read up on it though grown ups. The publicity goes on to say "Isn t it time there was a fairy tale aimed at girls and women who wear hiking boots, don t comb their hair, and love pick-up trucks?". Well that's going to win with most 'modern' parents I guess, but the book is quite brilliant for all that hype.
'Y'all listen up' - it begins. Okay, it is American, but we do share a language, possibly, well it's better than are we sitting comfortably, then I'll begin. Then wonderfully 'Once there was this prince' - love it, none of this "Once upon a time " boosting the word count.
It is the story of a prince, a mommy's boy, who is out to find himself a natural princess. The story is told with imagination and with global expanse, so the reader has to contract the world and journey all over to complete the prince's quest. He fails but then a cool looking woman strolls into his life, but to judge her worth, mommy suggests a test.
Loved the humour, in unexpected places, and not telegraphed. To be found in words and pictures. The artwork is impressive and full of colour with contrasting images to set the story a wandering.
Bound to be a winner, so much to please the parent, and everything in a book to delight a child. Not a gender based book, or a fairy tale but an old fashioned tale like off "The Waltons". When the young girl is falling asleep you almost expect her to call out "Goodnight Johnboy".
'The Princess and the Pick-up Truck is a modern retelling of The Princess and the Pea', so the blurb goes, which will not cut any ice with the kids; best read up on it though grown ups. The publicity goes on to say "Isn t it time there was a fairy tale aimed at girls and women who wear hiking boots, don t comb their hair, and love pick-up trucks?". Well that's going to win with most 'modern' parents I guess, but the book is quite brilliant for all that hype.
'Y'all listen up' - it begins. Okay, it is American, but we do share a language, possibly, well it's better than are we sitting comfortably, then I'll begin. Then wonderfully 'Once there was this prince' - love it, none of this "Once upon a time " boosting the word count.
It is the story of a prince, a mommy's boy, who is out to find himself a natural princess. The story is told with imagination and with global expanse, so the reader has to contract the world and journey all over to complete the prince's quest. He fails but then a cool looking woman strolls into his life, but to judge her worth, mommy suggests a test.
Loved the humour, in unexpected places, and not telegraphed. To be found in words and pictures. The artwork is impressive and full of colour with contrasting images to set the story a wandering.
Bound to be a winner, so much to please the parent, and everything in a book to delight a child. Not a gender based book, or a fairy tale but an old fashioned tale like off "The Waltons". When the young girl is falling asleep you almost expect her to call out "Goodnight Johnboy".
January 9, 2019
This is a weird little book. It is a retelling of Princess and the Pea, but if the prince was a rual backwoods man, and the kingdom is the mountains.
And instead of sleeping on a pea, the princess sleeps on a pickup truck.
And while I admire the idea of a kick-ass princess, the execution of this story was just a little too much over the edge for me to consider this a children's book.
I get that it is making fun of traditional fairy tales, but it doesn't work for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
And instead of sleeping on a pea, the princess sleeps on a pickup truck.
And while I admire the idea of a kick-ass princess, the execution of this story was just a little too much over the edge for me to consider this a children's book.
I get that it is making fun of traditional fairy tales, but it doesn't work for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
January 8, 2019
😂😂😂
Listen, The Princess and the Pickup Truck is not hardcore literature. It is a children's book for children. It was a cute fun country spin on The Princess and the Pea. Though the illustrations ain't my favorite, I would still like to purchase a hardcover to add to my collection. 🤗💕📚
***Thanks to Netgalley and Quarrier Press for providing me with a review copy.***
Listen, The Princess and the Pickup Truck is not hardcore literature. It is a children's book for children. It was a cute fun country spin on The Princess and the Pea. Though the illustrations ain't my favorite, I would still like to purchase a hardcover to add to my collection. 🤗💕📚
***Thanks to Netgalley and Quarrier Press for providing me with a review copy.***
January 9, 2019
I loved the illustrations and the unique I dea for this story. The story is a unique twist on the Princess and the Pea. I was really excited to read this to my kids, I thought the story would be cutesy. However, I was disappointed with the writing itself. The writing throughout was choppy and as I read it to my children I had to keep stopping and re-reading every few sentences because they didn’t flow and was just poor English. I can understand the vibe the author was going for but it was a little too much especially for a children’s book. The writing took away from the actually story that was being told. Using a word like “ain’t” and various others weren’t necessary to get the feel of the story of a “mountain princess” and was overkill.
January 6, 2019
Well, That Was A Surprise
So, I downloaded this on a lark, and mostly because the cover looked funny and happy. I turns out that this was probably the cleverest and most cheerfully upbeat book I've read this month. Go figure.
Lots of times this sort of "mountain", "rural", and especially "Appalachian" humor is forced and/or phony feeling. Or, it has a dopey Hee-Haw vibe. Not here. This is a smart and witty tale that is silly, deadpan, and big-hearted, but with a few edgy little throwaways that give it a touch of vinegar and spice. The premise is that our hero wants to find a real Mountain Princess, and the way to test her out is to see if she can sleep on a pile of mattresses in the back of a pickup truck, (a la "Princess and the Pea").
It's a funny idea. But it gets better. The semi-rhyming text works. It isn't poetry, exactly; or at least not poetry that scans formally. It's more like a lilting kind of musical prose, with internal rhymes, ("He searched the Sierras for ladies in tiaras."). The result is pleasant, humorous, and very kid and read-aloud friendly. Putting aside structure, the text is funny, with gentle asides and witty surprises.
This is all enhanced by the drawing. It's part crayon-naif and part collage, with a fluid and friendly impressionistic approach to the human characters. It has a homemade feel that disguises the talent it takes to get across an impression of simple charm.
So, this is a little gushy, but I really was delighted by this treat that just came out of the blue. A wonderful find. (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
So, I downloaded this on a lark, and mostly because the cover looked funny and happy. I turns out that this was probably the cleverest and most cheerfully upbeat book I've read this month. Go figure.
Lots of times this sort of "mountain", "rural", and especially "Appalachian" humor is forced and/or phony feeling. Or, it has a dopey Hee-Haw vibe. Not here. This is a smart and witty tale that is silly, deadpan, and big-hearted, but with a few edgy little throwaways that give it a touch of vinegar and spice. The premise is that our hero wants to find a real Mountain Princess, and the way to test her out is to see if she can sleep on a pile of mattresses in the back of a pickup truck, (a la "Princess and the Pea").
It's a funny idea. But it gets better. The semi-rhyming text works. It isn't poetry, exactly; or at least not poetry that scans formally. It's more like a lilting kind of musical prose, with internal rhymes, ("He searched the Sierras for ladies in tiaras."). The result is pleasant, humorous, and very kid and read-aloud friendly. Putting aside structure, the text is funny, with gentle asides and witty surprises.
This is all enhanced by the drawing. It's part crayon-naif and part collage, with a fluid and friendly impressionistic approach to the human characters. It has a homemade feel that disguises the talent it takes to get across an impression of simple charm.
So, this is a little gushy, but I really was delighted by this treat that just came out of the blue. A wonderful find. (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
March 8, 2019
The Princess and the Pickup Truck by Bil Lepp is a retelling of The Prince and the Pea, Mountain style. In this humorous story for children, our prince wants to marry, a real mountain princess, one that doesn't wear tiaras and sparkling gowns. He wants hiking boots and hair that is messy and natural. He buys himself a pickup truck and goes out looking, but after searching all the mountain ranges in the world, he does not find what he is looking for. After returning home, a real, royal, mountain princess arrives at their house. Just like the original story, his mother devises a test. She has to sleep on a pickup. Will this wonderful, self-proclaimed mountain princess be the one he has been searching for, or is she another fraud?
The Princess and the Pickup Truck is a fun story. It is a great story for children today, who are not looking for their prince or princess, but someone that allows them to be who they want to be. There is a good amount of rural mountain wit and humor that really works (although I think it is more for the reader/parent, than the child). The text has a nice cadence to it with some rhyming. The illustrations are simple, with a folksy look. It almost looks like were drawn by a child, which will appeal to young children. Overall a fun book, great for a unit at school dealing with fairytales. A great addition to a family, classroom, school or public library. The publisher generously provided me with this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
The Princess and the Pickup Truck is a fun story. It is a great story for children today, who are not looking for their prince or princess, but someone that allows them to be who they want to be. There is a good amount of rural mountain wit and humor that really works (although I think it is more for the reader/parent, than the child). The text has a nice cadence to it with some rhyming. The illustrations are simple, with a folksy look. It almost looks like were drawn by a child, which will appeal to young children. Overall a fun book, great for a unit at school dealing with fairytales. A great addition to a family, classroom, school or public library. The publisher generously provided me with this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
January 31, 2019
What a fun book. I adore fractured fairytales and this book is a parody, an Appalachian retelling, of The Princess and the Pea. Who needs a pristine princess with a tiara and a sparkly ball gown? This prince is searching for a real mountain princess to marry, one that wears hiking boots, a calico dress and has messy hair.
He buys himself a pickup truck to woo the perspective princess babes and to be noticed. He combs all the mountain ranges in the world to find his perfect bride but alas he only bumps into imposters. Alas his search comes to naught. He slouches himself back home, alone, and weeps to his Momma:
"Momma, I can't find a princess who I know for sure ain't a fraud. I even kissed some o them frauds, hopin' they'd turn into a princess."
" His momma said, "Honey, don't go kissin' frauds. You'll get warts."
Then as fate would have it the next day a real rough-and-royal princess comes walkin' up the road claiming that she is the real deal. Suspicious of her claim, his wise momma puts her to the princess test to prove her authenticity. Will she pass the test and become the prince's forever wife? Is she the one for him?
I enjoyed the tale and found myself laughing as I turned each page to discover if the prince finally did find the love of his life. The illustrations are folksy, quirky and I know that kids will enjoy their simplicity and humour. Bil Lepp, a master storyteller, has delivered a winner. Storywraps recommends it.
He buys himself a pickup truck to woo the perspective princess babes and to be noticed. He combs all the mountain ranges in the world to find his perfect bride but alas he only bumps into imposters. Alas his search comes to naught. He slouches himself back home, alone, and weeps to his Momma:
"Momma, I can't find a princess who I know for sure ain't a fraud. I even kissed some o them frauds, hopin' they'd turn into a princess."
" His momma said, "Honey, don't go kissin' frauds. You'll get warts."
Then as fate would have it the next day a real rough-and-royal princess comes walkin' up the road claiming that she is the real deal. Suspicious of her claim, his wise momma puts her to the princess test to prove her authenticity. Will she pass the test and become the prince's forever wife? Is she the one for him?
I enjoyed the tale and found myself laughing as I turned each page to discover if the prince finally did find the love of his life. The illustrations are folksy, quirky and I know that kids will enjoy their simplicity and humour. Bil Lepp, a master storyteller, has delivered a winner. Storywraps recommends it.
February 11, 2019
This fractured fairy tale is an adorably southern version of the Princess and the Pea. Like the classic tale, a prince is on the hunt for his perfect princess. But he has troubles from the get go.
Traveling from mountain top to mountain top, he searches for the perfect bride. And once he finds her, how can he be sure she is really a princess?
The adorable and humorous pictures help bring this tale to life. The southern flair is evident throughout each page as the story unfolds. Princesses can come in many shapes and sizes and thanks to Bil Lepp calico is as cool as a ball gown, hiking boots are as graceful as glass slippers and hairdos can be messy instead of perfectly piled on a princess’s head.
You know you are in the southern United States when a book starts out with “Y’all”. The book is written in southern vernacular, but it is truly part of the charm of the story, so don’t let it put you off if you are from the North. Even if you are not from the south, just go with it and enjoy the sweet southern ride.
Clever and colorful, your kids will love this fun take on a classic. If you and the little ones you read to are fans of Joshua Funks’ books, you will love The Princess and the Pickup Truck. Move over perfect princesses, there’s a new girl in town!
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Copyright © 2019 Laura Hartman
Traveling from mountain top to mountain top, he searches for the perfect bride. And once he finds her, how can he be sure she is really a princess?
The adorable and humorous pictures help bring this tale to life. The southern flair is evident throughout each page as the story unfolds. Princesses can come in many shapes and sizes and thanks to Bil Lepp calico is as cool as a ball gown, hiking boots are as graceful as glass slippers and hairdos can be messy instead of perfectly piled on a princess’s head.
You know you are in the southern United States when a book starts out with “Y’all”. The book is written in southern vernacular, but it is truly part of the charm of the story, so don’t let it put you off if you are from the North. Even if you are not from the south, just go with it and enjoy the sweet southern ride.
Clever and colorful, your kids will love this fun take on a classic. If you and the little ones you read to are fans of Joshua Funks’ books, you will love The Princess and the Pickup Truck. Move over perfect princesses, there’s a new girl in town!
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Copyright © 2019 Laura Hartman
January 7, 2019
A big thank you to NetGalley and Quarrier Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is a children's book. The title sounded fun. But bleech not for me. I grew up in the western part of Virginia, so I don't like the stereotyping. The drawings were fun. The verbage not so much. What 8 year old is going to know what a grange is? Why do you have to use ain't? I am sure there are a lot of people who will like this but it's not for me. I wouldn't want to read this to anyone. 2.5 stars
January 29, 2019
The Princess and the Pea is one of my favorite fairy tales! This story is a rather modern, different telling of this story and it made me laugh throughout. I found the rather ordinary expectations of a "real" princess very appealing. I hope everyone enjoys this story as much as I did.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 13, 2019
This is a cute story that is a parody of the Princess and the Pea.
I'm not crazy about the style of the illustrations, but this would be a good story to use in a classroom unit on different versions of fairy tales.
I could make a nice Venn Diagram with this book. Haha, I recommend it.
*Thanks Netgalley for the ARC
I'm not crazy about the style of the illustrations, but this would be a good story to use in a classroom unit on different versions of fairy tales.
I could make a nice Venn Diagram with this book. Haha, I recommend it.
*Thanks Netgalley for the ARC
January 15, 2019
True princesses are hard to find. They are even harder to find when you live on a farm in the mountains. But that didn't stop the prince from searching high and low for his true love.
This country re-telling of the princess and the pea is a cute little book for down to earth little girls!
This country re-telling of the princess and the pea is a cute little book for down to earth little girls!
January 28, 2019
This was a nicely done children's book based on princess and the pea. The story is different and quite interesting as well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 26, 2020
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A cute retelling of The Princess and the Pea. Lots of bright pictures and text that flows well. Great for little princesses that are a bit of a tomboy too!
A cute retelling of The Princess and the Pea. Lots of bright pictures and text that flows well. Great for little princesses that are a bit of a tomboy too!
June 27, 2020
She is a princess but she prefers doing boys things including playing with trucks. This follows her as she has run while trying to get people to understand what she like and why
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 22, 2020
This modern take on the princess and the pea has a prince searching high and low, but mostly high for the right gal: He wants a true mountain princess. Children will get the allusions to fairy tales like Cinderella and the Princess and the Pea. I particularly liked the car references, like when the prince "Dodges a Ram". There were several humerons moments and winks at stories I read while growing up. Although this book attempts to dismiss the princess stereotype by making the one in this story wear hiking books, and have messy hair, I can't help but cringe at the fact that the man in the story is still executing a ridiculous plan to judge the girl based on her princess qualifications. A modern fairy tale should be modern, but the princess has no voice in the story and it's a bit of a let-down. The story was typical in that a girl has to fulfill a man's expectations in order to be lucky enough to be chosen by him.
The voice of the story takes on a distinct accent, although I'm not sure if it is exaggerated or not. I get the sense that it is. I think the story will appeal to only a specific audience which share the same colloquial language. I do enjoy a ridiculous story from time-to-time and a girl sleeping on a bunch of mattresses on a pick-up truck is darn ridiculous, and I enjoyed silly moments like this one. Overall, I think the story was fun and unique, just not my cup of tea.
The voice of the story takes on a distinct accent, although I'm not sure if it is exaggerated or not. I get the sense that it is. I think the story will appeal to only a specific audience which share the same colloquial language. I do enjoy a ridiculous story from time-to-time and a girl sleeping on a bunch of mattresses on a pick-up truck is darn ridiculous, and I enjoyed silly moments like this one. Overall, I think the story was fun and unique, just not my cup of tea.
January 9, 2019
Description
Isn't it time there was a fairy tale aimed at girls and women who wear hiking boots, don't comb their hair, and love pickup trucks? The prince in this story wants to marry a real mountain princess, so he searches all the mountain ranges in the world... looking in the Sierras for women in tiaras, and at Glass Mountain for ladies wearing just one shoe. He ends up going home alone, only to be found by a princess who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to set out into the world on her own to find it. The Princess and the Pickup Truck is a modern retelling of The Princess and the Pea, but with a humorous, Appalachian, or at least rural, slant.
My review
... sorry, totally fail! Whole book looks like from an 5year old (the drawings and the whole setup) - I didn´t get the story nor did I enjoy reading it (only did the first 2 pages, then just flipping through). I don´t like to write negative reviews, so: that is just my 2 cents - make your own opinion.
Note 5 or F
Thanks anyway to Netgalley and the Author for letting me review this book!
Isn't it time there was a fairy tale aimed at girls and women who wear hiking boots, don't comb their hair, and love pickup trucks? The prince in this story wants to marry a real mountain princess, so he searches all the mountain ranges in the world... looking in the Sierras for women in tiaras, and at Glass Mountain for ladies wearing just one shoe. He ends up going home alone, only to be found by a princess who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to set out into the world on her own to find it. The Princess and the Pickup Truck is a modern retelling of The Princess and the Pea, but with a humorous, Appalachian, or at least rural, slant.
My review
... sorry, totally fail! Whole book looks like from an 5year old (the drawings and the whole setup) - I didn´t get the story nor did I enjoy reading it (only did the first 2 pages, then just flipping through). I don´t like to write negative reviews, so: that is just my 2 cents - make your own opinion.
Note 5 or F
Thanks anyway to Netgalley and the Author for letting me review this book!
January 28, 2019
I see where the author is trying to go with the story, but it isn't a story I will be sharing. It was to wordy and the language was a little off.
February 4, 2019
I received this book from NetGalley for my 7 year old stepdaughter. We read it before bed and she really enjoyed it. She got that it was like Princess and the Pea but with a pick up truck and I read it in a cartoony southern accent that seemed to fit. It wasn't too long and the pictures were really cute.
March 1, 2019
I can NOT believe someone is willing to publish this garbage. Besides making the main characters seem like dim witted honkies, it has misogynist tones that just disgust this reader. There are parts where the author tries to rhyme, but please don't. I’m sorry to say that Sierra and tiaras don't rhyme (unless you are speaking like a stereotypical hillbilly). Then there is the line “But it was hard to tell who was a real princess because, well, let’s face it, princes costumes just aren’t that expensive.” The use of the word costume like everything is just a act, or a play, and then equating it to money. UGGGGHHHH. Plus, when “The prince opened the door and right there was three princesses. He was so excited until they said… blaaah blaaah blaaah.” Excuse me!!! You degrade the female characters to the point they don't even get words, but a Seinfeld sound effect. Chauvinist much? Plus, while I’m at it, stop copying another author’s line: “Did princesses wear hiking books…”. This book deserves to be nowhere near that books popular catch phrase. This story story is supposed to be a melding of Cinderella and the Princess and the Pea, but instead it’s a disrespectful piece of garbage that uses phrases that harkens to an illiterate author. And please don’t get me started on the illustrations.
ACTUAL GoodReads Rating 0
ACTUAL GoodReads Rating 0
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