Hello, friends! Our book today is The Storybook Prince by Doug Keith, the tale of a young prince who loves reading and sharing fairytales with his fantastical friends.

Once upon a time, there was a little prince who loved to read. He read all day, but his favorite way to read was to share his stories with his friends. For instance: the dragon loves to hear tales about witches, and the witch loves to hear stories of trolls. The gnomes like stories of princesses, while the princess enjoys stories about handsome princes in disguise. And at the end of the day, the Storybook Prince likes to settle in for one last book: a bedtime story, told by all his strange and wonderful friends.

This was sweet! First, the illustrations are gorgeous: the stories the prince tells are depicted in wordless two-page spreads featuring gloriously detailed illustrations of well-known fairy tales (Billy Goats Gruff, Rapunzel, The Frog Prince, etc.). Each spread is teased through a small cutout which then becomes a window to the prince reading to his audience. It’s a unique and thoughtful layout style with beautiful art, and enough to forgive the small yet noticeable choice of reusing the art of the prince reading aloud a few times too many. The story is a cute concept, though the text is a bit dry – but again, the art makes up for this in spades. Besides, the length is perfect for any storytime, and JJ enjoyed it. A wonderful treat for readers who love fairytales and exploring elaborate illustrations, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)