Review - The Brave Princess and Me

The Brave Princess and Me
by Kathy Kacer
illustrated by Juliana Kolesova
Date: 2019
Publisher: Second Story Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Princess Alice of Greece is known for her kindness. Born deaf, she knows what it is like to be discriminated against. In 1943 the Second World War is raging, and the Nazis have taken control of Greece. All Jews in the country are in danger, including young Tilde Cohen and her mother, Rachel. On the run, they are in search of a safe place to hide from the Nazis. When they arrive unannounced on Princess Alice's doorstep, begging her to shelter them, the princess's kindness is put to the test.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

While I like the idea behind this book, I'm not sure it entirely worked for me.

This is a brief look at how Princess Alice hid Jews in her home in Athens during the Second World War. It's narrated by Tilde Cohen, who was a real girl who hid there with her mother, Rachel. Princess Alice was deaf, and so when the Gestapo came calling, looking for hidden Jews, she used her disability to her advantage and feigned incomprehension... causing the Nazis to think she was simple-minded and leave her alone.

There's a nice little biographical sketch at the back (typos notwithstanding) that gives readers a basic idea of Princess Alice's life. But other parts of the book--especially the way it's written--don't quite work for me. At times, the text seems a little condescending or even sanitized. I realize this is a book for children, but the way the Nazis speak doesn't ring true at all; their words sound almost like they've been put into their mouths by a very young child.

I'm also not a huge fan of the illustrations. While they fit the mood of the book and are done passably well, the figures all look kind of wooden, almost like soulless mannequins. Because of this, I found it difficult to have an emotional connection to the illustrations.

I hadn't heard the story of what Princess Alice did for the Jews during the Second World War, and I definitely think it's a story worth telling. I'm just not sure if this book did a great job of doing that. It's passable, yes... but I was expecting to feel a little more engaged with such interesting subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Story Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.17 out of 5