Garden Princess by Kristin Kladstrup (review)

Seventeen-year-old Princess Adela longs to be a gardener, so when she is invited to a garden party given by the mysterious Lady Hortensia, Adela readily agrees. Things take a menacing turn at the soiree, though, when Adela secretly discovers that Lady Hortensia is a witch, turning her party guests into blooms for her garden. A jewelry-stealing, talking magpie, Krazo, tries to help Adela, eventually finding a ruby heart, the destruction of which turns Hortensia to stone, releases the other “flower,” and returns Krazo to his own shape as Edward, a thief who long ago tried to steal from Hortensia. Edward and Adela fall for each other but are kept apart by Edward’s fear that she won’t love him when she knows his past; fairy-tale fans, however, will be relieved by the pair’s happy ending. Unfortunately, Kladstrup’s characters are largely shallow and functional, and the villains lack satisfying villainy. Kids who love sweet, fanciful romances may still appreciate the fairy-tale relationship, though, since Adela and Krazo/Edward are a likable duo; the garden theme may draw in young horticultural fans as well. Middle-graders who have loved but outgrown Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” but who aren’t quite ready for similarly themed YA fare may find this an appealing read-alike.