Dad: I'm here with my girly-girls reading "The Princess and the Kiss" for Valentine's Day.
Gracie (age 11): I like the pictures. The ladies have such pretty dresses.
Lily (age 8): This book is especially good for kids when they are older. Like Gracie's age.
Gracie: Little kids might not understand the real meaning.
Dad: And what is the meaning?
Lily: Be careful and wise. Have smartness.
Dad: I think that sounds like a great lesson for little kids too. Kids get messages thrown at them everywhere, at all ages, whether they realize it or not. What do kids learn when watching "Zack and Cody"?
Gracie: You really hate that show, don't you.
Dad: Ha ha ha...
Lily: They learn "Be naughty, be snotty, be little devils."
Gracie: The message kids learn from Disney Channel shows is "Oh, I'm going to kiss all the boys I see... I'm going to go out dating when I'm seven."
Lily: "I'm going to crush on boys..."
Dad: Do you think that's a bad message?
Gracie: It's not sinful, but it's not wise.
Dad: Now the cover of "The Princess and the Kiss" says it's a story about purity. Do you guys know what "pure" means?
Gracie: Not being yucky.
Lily: Clean.
Gracie: If your heart is pure, it means your heart is clean. There are not yucky bugs in your heart.
Dad: Tell me about the "kiss" in this book...
Lily: It's not a chocolate kiss.
Gracie: It's a glowy sphere.
Lily: It's magic. It looks like a giant ball of glowiness. It's a gift from God that the princess got when she was born -- the first kiss you give to someone outside your family. The mom and dad kept it in
safely-safety-safeness for her.
Gracie: They said, "This was a gift from God that we received when you were born. Now that you are old enough, we are putting it in your hands. It would be wise to save this kiss for the man you marry." So then all these handsome princes come, like Prince Romance, and Prince Peacock...
Lily: He was proud.
Gracie: ...and Prince Moneybags.
Lily: He was Prince Chubby-chubbs.
Dad: And what kind of guy was the princess looking for?
Gracie: She was looking for a guy who would love her and love her kiss. And she found him.
Dad: And he had saved his first kiss for her too. Did she find him right away?
Gracie: Noooo. But I think he was the handsomest of all, even though he wasn't a prince.
Lily: Yeah, I thought the princes were ugly.
Gracie: Especially since one was like 60 and bald.
Dad: I thought the farmer boy she finally picked looked kind of girly.
Gracie: Who? Humble Hairy-head? I think he's cute.
Dad: Do you think other kids out there would like this book?
Lily: No, because they all watch Zack and Cody.
Dad: Ha ha hah...
Gracie: Kids might be like, "That's okay for you, but that's old fashioned. Kissing boys is so "today." It's the new fad. That book was published like what? 11 years ago? That's old stuff."
Dad: Yes, the olden days... 11 years...
Gracie: Isaac already gave his first kiss away when he was little. To his hamster.
Dad: I think hamsters count as family.
Evangeline (age 4): I give my kisses to Daddy!
Dad: So what are the qualities you would look for in a husband?
Gracie: First off, he's got to be a Christian. That's the most important. Second off, he has to love me and not have, like, three other wives. And I think it would be nice if he had a sense of humor and wasn't always serious.
Dad: Good things. Any more?
Gracie: Yeah, I have seven more.
Dad: Seven!
Gracie: I'm very particular!
Dad: You might not be getting married for a long time. Let me hear some more.
Gracie: Those were the main things. The next one is just kind of goofy...
Lily: Hot hair!
Gracie: Yeah, Lily knows. I like hair!
Dad: What about your list, Lily?
Lily: I need him to be Christian. That's number One, one, one. And he has to be kind. And be humble. And then be honest and keep his word. And love me - that is fifth.
Dad: Fifth?
Lily: Well... maybe second.
Gracie: Those are good... trustworthy and faithful and honest.
Lily: And these are not things that I need, but things that I want: Likes music and art. That's about it.
Dad: So, is this a good book for Valentine's Day?
Gracie: Yeah. Because it's about kisses and love.
Dad: But think about it -- it's mostly about NOT kissing. So why would that be a good book for Valentine's Day?
Lily: Because it's about love!
Gracie: True love. She was saving her kiss for her husband.
Dad: She loved her husband, even though she didn't know him yet. You can show love by kissing AND show love by not kissing. With every boy you don't kiss, you are showing love to your husband.
Gracie: And you can still kiss all your family members.
Dad: Or hamsters.
Lily: And you can give out chocolate kisses!
Prince Poetry vies for the princess, by Lily
new family, by GracieAuthor: Jennie Bishop
Illustrator: Preston McDaniels
Published, 1999: Warner Press
Like it? Here it is
6 comments:
For me, not having even one other wife was #1. (I had a list of about 40 things. It worked out.) What a great book. I will have to find it for my girls.
I'm the author, and I loved, loved, loved being privy to this sweet conversation! Save those kisses, girls - and anyone who's interested can find the books at jenniebishop.com.
Thanks so much for your review! (:
I share your girls' take on Disney shows! :)
No commentary from your son on the kiss book? ;) Sounds like a great book for girls, especially today when they grow up way too fast.
Thanks for chiming in all, and hello to Mrs. Bishop!
Nancy:
Isaac (13) had joined us for a few minutes and really only talked about kissing his hamster. Partway through recording the review I noticed he'd wandered off. He DOES actually really like the book (surprise to me), but he just didn't have much to add by way of review.
I know there's a companion book, "Squire and the Scroll" that's more for boys. We don't own that one yet, but I should hunt it down again...
Z-Dad
This is absolutely precious! We have that book too and I would recommend it for anyone with girls.
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