The Birthday Ball in Mock Newbery 2026

Nov 30, 2011 Kathryn rated it liked it

Shelves: children-s-novels, fairytales-folktales-mythology, audiobooks

Princess Patricia Priscilla is BORED! It's hard to decide which is worse, having so very little to do at present or knowing that in just a few days her 16th birthday will arrive, bringing with it the Birthday Ball and her suitors, a change but not exactly a welcome one. The princess decides to borrow her maid's clothing and escape into the peasant world for a little while to attend class at the school house for a few days. There, she meets the kindly (no matter how stern he tries to make himself Princess Patricia Priscilla is BORED! It's hard to decide which is worse, having so very little to do at present or knowing that in just a few days her 16th birthday will arrive, bringing with it the Birthday Ball and her suitors, a change but not exactly a welcome one. The princess decides to borrow her maid's clothing and escape into the peasant world for a little while to attend class at the school house for a few days. There, she meets the kindly (no matter how stern he tries to make himself for the role) schoolmaster, who also happens to be rather young and handsome. She also befriends the village school children and begins to understand the hard realities of the peasant life and wonders what she could do to make it a little easier. So, when the Birthday Ball comes around, will it be "Pat" (as she calls herself at the school) or Princess Patricia Priscilla who takes center stage?

I enjoyed many things about this fairytale. I like how the princess takes matters into her own hands, and speaks with her parents about the things she observes and changes she would like to make. I appreciate that one of the main connections she has with the handsome schoolmaster is that of knowledge and of being kind to others. Her maid, Tess, is just so fun and adorable! I love her spunk. And I appreciated how the king was not completely stodgy and bad, and he had done many good things, yet was also just a bit too set in his ways and too self-absorbed to know at first what is best for his daughter, no matter how much he loves her. I also thought the cat was very cute, and liked how the princess always said things that rhymed with the cat's name, "That is very suspicious, Delicious!" ;-)

Yet, I was also uncomfortable with some elements of the story. While I know they were supposed to be humorous, I just didn't find the suitors amusing and found them rather sad, instead. Conjoined twins? A depressed duke? Not exactly something I want to laugh about (though the ending was very sweet). And the neighboring kingdoms' names... Dyspepsia was amusing enough, especially given the suitor's personality. But naming a kingdom after a very worrisome medical condition (Bulimia) just didn't tickle my funny bone.

All in all, this was an enjoyable story. I wasn't sure at first if the princess was supposed to be spoiled (perhaps that is just the way the audiobook narrator read her, though) but as it progressed, I liked her more and more. I appreciated that the ending wasn't completely implausible, maintaining some semblance of what was expected by the royal laws but also allowing for the (long-forseen) happy ending. And, of course, younger readers might not guess all the "surprises" along the way like I did ;-)

ETA: One of my friends said that the illustrations really enhance this story, so I missed out on that with the audiobook narration (though I thought the narrator did a good job) and will try to check out the book from the library to see the illustrations.

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Aug 31, 2010 Beverly rated it really liked it

The Birthday Ball is a quirky little story by Lois Lowry. It is very different from her Newbery winning books (The Giver and Number the Stars), but it is an enjoyable in its own right.

Princess Patricia Priscilla is bored with being a princess. Ignored by her parents, faced with the dreaded birthday ball where she must choose a suitor from among three horrible prospects, she goes seeking excitement on her own by pretending to be a peasant school girl. Disguised as "Pat" she soon makes friends wit ...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Carmine rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, juvenile-fiction, folk-and-fairytales

A chortle-out-loud sort of fairy tale. The princess Patricia Pricilla, days away from her 16th birthday when she must select a husband from three odious suitors, decides to shake off the boredom of castle life by dressing in her maids clothes and attending school in the village. No one seems to suspect her true identity despite her ridiculous habit of constantly reminding the handsome, kind schoolteacher and other students that she is "merely a humble peasant" and mixing up the story about what ...more

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Sep 09, 2010 Dest rated it really liked it

Shelves: funny, middle-grade, fractured-fairy-tales

Obviously, I'm going to like this. It's a fun, funny, totally enjoyable, quick-read about a princess who sneaks out of her castle to go to school, invites all the peasants to her birthday ball, and finds a way to get out of marrying one of three (or four, technically) nasty (really gross-nasty) suitors.

My favorite parts:

1. So many things rhyme with delicious!
2. The norphan
3. The disgusting Duke of Dyspepsia, Prince of Pustula, and Conjoint Counts
4. An overall satisfying mixture of cute and gro ...more

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May 19, 2010 Maggi Rohde added it

Shelves: funny

Lowry continues her exploration of the parody genre (The Willoughbys) as she tries on some big Roald Dahl boots for this silly little princess-pauper story. The three suitors were funny and over-the-top, I loved the details of work in the kitchen, and there was a pleasant balance of predictable and unpredictable in the conclusion. The story is light, but younger readers may find the vocabulary too challenging. In addition, the issues the princess deals with about marriage and growing up might go ...more

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May 05, 2010 Karen Arendt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade

Similar to The Willoughbys. Lots of play on words, a few creepy noblemen from other domains, but a light hearted happy ending kind of story. good for third grade and possibly fourth.

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May 21, 2010 Bekah rated it it was ok

Shelves: children

Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan. I love Lois Lowry, but this just wasn't my cup of tea. Kinda cute, maybe it'll grow on me, sometimes books do. So we'll see. ...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Kate Hastings rated it it was amazing

Shelves: humor, jfic-middle-grades-4-6

Grades 4-6. RL 870. This book had me laughing out loud. I can only begin to describe the flavor by saying Catherine Called Birdy meets Roald Dahl. Princess Patricia Priscilla is dreading her 16th Birthday where she must choose a suitor to be her husband at her birthday ball.

The suitors are truly horrible-- and the descriptions about made me wet my pants! Anyhow, Princess PP decides to dress up as a peasant and attend the local school to get a taste of freedom before her birthday. "Pat" meets a n ...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Deanna rated it it was ok

Shelves: msba, juvenile-fiction

A lighthearted fairy tale. The interesting wordplay and quirky characters might hook some readers.

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Oct 23, 2010 Caren rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

A young princess is about to turn 16 years old, when she will then have to pick a suitor to marry at her birthday ball.
Funny characters and well written. Felt there were some unnecessary innuendos.

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Jul 17, 2010 Amanda rated it did not like it

Ugh. No more Newberys for Ms. Lowry.

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Jan 23, 2011 Becky Barrier Nelson rated it liked it

I am reading this by audioCD.

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Aug 03, 2010 alisonwonderland (Alison) rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, 2010-publication-date, i-want-to-read-in-2012, kindle-borrow

Quick fairy tale read in which a bored princess, not pleased with the choices she is given for her upcoming sixteenth birthday, takes her future into her own hands. Fun illustrations too.

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Mar 15, 2010 Donalyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s-fantasy, ncbla-committee-2011-books

A whimsical story about a princess who wants to make her choices. Wordplay, silly characters, and Norton Jester's illustrations make this a fun book for princesses of all ages. ...more

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