Princess Baby

The curly-haired and clearly much-adored young heroine is sick and tired of people calling her “Cupcake,” “Giggly Goose,” “Missy Muffin” and other such sobriquets. After all, her “real name”—and the book's title—should be obvious from her shiny crown (it glitters on the book jacket), or her wand, or her innate sense of noblesse oblige (“I have perfect manners... and make sure that everyone in my kingdom is happy”). Katz's (Counting Kisses ) characters are the very definition of pert. They have big round heads and tiny cute eyes, and they frolic on pastel backgrounds of polka dots, clouds and flowers; even the human beings looks like plush toys. Toddler girls just discovering the joys of dress-up should find this as enticing as a glittery petticoat, although the same idea received more astute treatment this past fall in Karma Wilson and Christa Unzner's Princess Me . Ages 1-5. (Jan.)