Honk, Honk! Hold Tight!

'There was once a Princess called Alice, who never laughed', rooted in traditional tales, this story starts off feeling familiar. The King declares he will share his kingdom with anyone who can make his precious daughter smile. Meanwhile, a young man named Peter helps a poor old woman on the side of the road. Sharing his food with her she rewards him with a golden goose that holds a strange power; anyone who tries to touch it will be stuck!

Pretty soon Peter's on his way to the castle with a trail of confused passers-by who each wanted a golden feather for themselves. The sight is more than enough to make the Princess smile and she decides that anyone who can make her laugh is worthy of both half her kingdom and her hand in marriage.

This strange story is illustrated with a collage technique that looks deceptively simple. The use of white space looks clean; the clear text and the traditional feel to the story suggests this book would be well suited for use in school, but the nod to the Princess's decision to choose a husband for herself creates some more interest.