Book two: Sir Princess Petra’s Talent synopsis
Sir Princess Petra has already proven she is a kind and noble knight. This, however, does not please the king and queen—they want her to behave like a princess and forget this silly knight nonsense of hers!
But when the king writes a new rule in the royal rule book that requires her to attend Talent School and acquire a princess talent certificate or suffer the spell of the royal magician, Petra, reluctantly, agrees to go. But who could have guessed what Sir Princess Petra’s Talent would be?
Book one: Sir Princess Petra synopsis
Princess Petra’s unusual birthday request sends the royal court into a frenzy, but when she agrees to undertake a knight’s quest they can’t stop her. Armed with a cake knife and outfitted in the best royal pots and pans, Petra sets off to face a dragon and win her real armor before encountering a bog witch, and an army of the kingdom’s worst enemies. Will Petra’s kindness and acceptance prove to be more valuable than weapons and armor?
Review of Sir Princess Petra’s Talent
Sir Princess Petra’s Talent. The Pen Pieyu Adventures Book 2 by Diane Mae Robinson.
This is the second book in a charming early chapter book series. Princess Petra follows the classic mold of a rebellious princess in finding daring feats of arms more exciting than traditional princess skills, except for Highland Dancing. In the first book, she was able to use her kingdom’s very silly system for attaining knighthood to her advantage, becoming a knight using negotiation and dancing rather than fighting. In book two, her parents still haven’t given up on having a normal daughter. Surely requiring her to get a Princess Talent Certificate will fix her right up!
On the way to Talent School (of course riding on her trusty steed, the dragon Snarls), Petra meets a prince who’s willing to do anything to avoid the betrothal to her their parents have arranged behind their backs. Once they’ve decided not to get engaged, they make friends and decide to go off to talent school together. Robinson here continues the pattern begun in the first book of Petra making friends with a prince with some exaggerated physical feature. In the first book, the prince was tiny. In this book, Prince Duce Crablips has extra-large, puffy lips (you can see him standing behind Petra on the book cover.) Now, I know that making characters with silly body parts has a long history in children’s books, and I’m sure both that the author meant nothing of the sort and that modern children are unlikely to make the same connection, but this particular feature pinged my racism-alert button, reminding me unfortunately of old Little Black Sambo-style illustrations.
Prince Duce is still a nice boy, though, and he and Petra have fun both picking unconventional talents to study – Prince Duce studies crochet, while Petra picks writing in honor of her grandmother, who had been the castle storyteller. After earning their certificates, the two children and the dragon go off and have some more adventures with characters new and old before returning back to Princess Petra’s castle and facing her parents.
Both of these are very short chapter books, coming in at well under a hundred pages, and illustrated with nicely cartoonish pencil drawings. I found a few rough transitions between sections, and thought that the reason for Princess Petra picking writing as her talent could have been worked more deeply into the story. (I also wish that Princess Petra would give knitting a try, but that’s definitely my love for fiber speaking.) And I have a little bit of discomfort still with the way Prince Duce is depicted. Even so, these are solid books that more than hold their own on the early chapter book playing field. The combination of adventure without violence, humor, and an adorable dragon make this a series with lots of appeal for kids just ready to try chapter books on their own, and for reading aloud to slightly younger children.
I received both the books in this series in exchange for participation in the blog tour and an honest review.
Diane’s Bio
Diane lives in a small hilltop castle nestled amongst a very old and magical forest. In this mystical forest, all the fantasy creatures one can imagine live and audition for parts in the author’s next book.
Diane has a journalism diploma from the Schools of Montreal and an advanced diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature. The author teaches acrylic and watercolor art to children, and is a tutor at the Creative Writing Institute. She also works full time at a dental office.
The author’s first book in this series, Sir Princess Petra – The Pen Pieyu Adventures, has won two prestigious awards: Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award (literary arts), a Purple Dragonfly Book Award, and The Reader’s Choice Award..
Sir Princess Petra’s Talent – The Pen Pieyu Adventures, is the second book in this fantasy/adventure children’s chapter book series. Diane is currently writing book three.
Author’s website at: http://www.dragonsbook.com
Author’s Blog at: http://dianemaerobinson.com
TOUR SCHEDULE
September 24th
http://ericasnook.blogspot.com/ (Erica) review
http://thebookelfsnook.blogspot.com/
http://nikki-bennett.com/blog1 (Nikki) interview
September 25th
http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com (Gina) review
http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co.uk (Jessica) review & giveaway
September 26th
http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com (Renee) review
http://mydevotionalthoughts.net (Ruth) review
http://mommynificent.com (Tina) review
September 27th
http://whenigrowupiwannawriteakidsbook.blogspot.com/ (Author Julie Grasso) review
http://talesofabookworm.com (Brittany) review
September 28th
Mrsbbooks2011.blogspot.co.uk (Sam) review
http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com (Emily) interview
September 29th
http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/ (Chris) Book Blast / Meet the Author
http://kid-lit-reviews.com (Sue) interview
September 30th
http://shareessentiments.blogspot.com/ (Sharee) review
http://www.melindatfalgoust.doodlekit.com (Melinda) review
October 1st
http://acsreadershaven.blogspot.com/ (Vera) review
http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.ca (Tonja) review & giveaway
October 2nd
http://lovablelobo.wordpress.com (Author C.L. Murphy) interview
https://alibrarymama.wordpress.com (Katy) review
October 3rd
http://thatartsyreadergirl.blogspot.com (Jana) review
http://www.gabriellemazurbooks.com (Gabrielle) review
October 4th
http://dianeestrella.com/ (Diane) review
http://literarycreature.wordpress.com (Jade) review
October 5th
http://thiskidreviewsbooks.com/ (Erik – review & giveaway)
http://swlothian.com/ (Author Steve Lothian) review
October 6th
www.bound4escape.com (Dawn Heslin review & giveaway)
http://kid-lit-reviews.com (Sue) review
October 7th
http://whenigrowupiwannawriteakidsbook.blogspot.com/ (Author Julie Grasso) interview
http://allisonsbookbag.wordpress.com/ (Allison) review
October 8th
http://themysteryofnidavalley.com (Author Elaine Ouston) review
http://kid-lit-reviews.com (Sue – Special Post for Tour Sites)
October 9th – http://www.dianemaerobinson.com/ (Author Diane Robinson – for Tour Sites)
alibrarymama 
I have GOT to get around to reading this series. Thanks for sharing your review. Early chapter books are easier to find time for in our home. 🙂
Have a wonderful week!
Christine M/Cool Mom
for the S&K Gang
Thank you for stopping by! I think I’d have an easier time getting through books with my son if I stuck with more early chapter books, too.
Nice review! Diane has created a cute story around endearing characters.
Thank you! I have to agree about the story.
Interesting review. I had never even considered a thing about Duce’s lips other than commiserating with Princess Petra at the possibility of kissing him. Something t think about. Thanks for joining the tour. I appreciate your review and help.
Thank you for inviting me and for all your work organizing. And I’m sure Ms. Robinson didn’t consider anything else, either… it just popped out at me, you know? But one could just as easily wonder why large lips are considered lush on a girl and odd on a boy… good thing both these characters are too young for serious romantic considerations!
Great review Katy! My kids loved having both books read aloud to them – very different experience than reading it to oneself. Interesting comment about the lips – I hadn’t thought about that, but I can see why you had that reaction now that you’ve said it.
I’m sure my boy would enjoy it more if I read it to him, too! And maybe it’s one that would be appealing to my four-year-old, too, who hasn’t quite found a chapter book worth sitting still for yet.
Thanks for stopping by, everybody, and commenting.
Thank you, Katy for reviewing my book and joining in on the blog tour. I really appreciate it.
Yeah, those lips, I never thought about it that way either. The reason behind characters of the books having different appearances is to show how Petra accepts everybody for who they are, no matter what they look like–no discrimination intended.
Thanks again, Katy. Great review.
Thank you so much for visiting and for letting me join your tour, Diane! I was sure you hadn’t meant the lips that way, and am very glad that no one else seems to have read it that way – I felt obliged to mention it because I did. And (I hope you can tell from the review) I very much enjoyed the books otherwise.