Retro-style ink caricatures inject a jazzy note to the inherent formality of the monarchy in this romp through the fantasy world of a girl convinced of her own royalty. Penelope is "absolutely certain" that she's a princess. "She read lots of fairy tales, so she was an expert
on princesses." She also has ample evidence for her claim: she wears a crown, changes her outfit many times a day and sits on "lots of thrones." Newcomer Gran portrays the heroine propped up on pillows in a dining room chair, strapped into her car seat and, in a rose-tinted dream, perched on a towering monogrammed potty seat, brandishing a sceptre. The artist renders Penelope's turned-up smile, ruffled collar and mop of hair with the kind of swooping, calligraphic ink strokes monarchs use for their signatures. Pink-tinted, spotlit areas mark the borders between the real world, in which her parents bring her ordinary fare, and the princess world, in which her parents become "servants," and a long table before her offers a panoply of elegant, curlicued desserts. Mack, who also debuts here, supplies suitably tongue-in-cheek narration: "The servants cleaned up after their princess and comforted her in times of need." The double-page spread shows the real story; Penelope lets loose with a huge wail as she sends her meal flying. But bedtime brings tranquility again: "Sweet dreams, my little princess," says the king. Mack's Penelope strikes the right balance between brash and endearing, as does the interplay between text and art. Little princesses everywhere will see themselves in this winning heroine. Ages 2-5. (Mar.)
