Ferris, Jean. Once upon a marigold - Book Review

Kliatt, Nov, 2002 by Paula Rohrlick

Harcourt 272p. c2002. 0-15-216791-9. $17.00. J

Brought up by a troll in the forest--a troll whose mission in life is to break up the Tooth Fairy's monopoly--Christian grows to young adulthood and falls in love with a princess he spies from afar. For a time they communicate through messages carried by a pigeon, and then he takes a job at her castle. Meanwhile, Princess Marigold's evil mother is trying to marry her off, despite the curse on Marigold that reveals to her with a touch what people are thinking. Christian is cast into the dungeon by a jealous guard, but the King comes to his aid. While in the dungeon, however, Christian invents a flying machine, and he emerges in time to save Marigold from marriage to someone else. Christian is of course then revealed to be royalty himself, the evil queen is vanquished, and he and Marigold are wed at last.

This light-hearted spoof of a fairy tale, liberally laced with contemporary bits of humor (the pigeon system is referred to as "p-mail," for example), will appeal to fans of comedies, fantasies and love stories as well as readers who enjoyed Ferris's similarly madcap Love Among the Walnuts. Fine entertainment for upper elementary and middle school readers. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT