Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover by Josh Schneider (review)

Amelia does almost everything with her beloved pink-and-lavender rag doll, Princess Sparkle-Heart, but while Amelia bathes, the cloth-bodied doll has to wait outside the bathroom. Amelia’s perpetually growling cocker spaniel, who clearly has it in for the doll, chooses that moment to attack and reduces poor Princess Sparkle-Heart to tatters. Amelia’s mom comes to the rescue, however, patching up the doll with plenty of input from Amelia, including “Give her some good teeth.” The revamped Princess Sparkle-Heart is hidden from view until the final pages reveal the bulked-up, now-patchwork doll bedecked not only with a frilly pink heart on her chest but also large white fangs, crazy red yarn hair, and a superhero cape—all in all, a figure that strikes fear in the heart of that feisty cocker spaniel. Schneider’s clear, concise writing is punctuated by amusing understatement (the caption for the attack scene is “But one day Princess Sparkle-Heart had an accident”), but it also conveys genuine sympathy for Amelia. The tidy line and watercolor illustrations are uncomplicated and vibrant against an abundance of clean white space. Amelia, with her wild shock of scarlet hair, Orphan Annie eyes, denim romper, and droopy socks, is an expressive heroine, and small touches, such as a paper-crown wearing stuffed penguin (who averts his eyes during the disaster) add humor and warmth as well. Use as an inspiration for a similar toy transformation or just a counter to tales of overprotective toy lovers.