Lottie's Princess Dress

In this whimsical but too-chatty debut from a German duo, ""a freezing cold day"" transforms into ""a glittery gold day"" with the aid of some glitzy attire. On a frosty morning, Lottie is reluctant to get ready for kindergarten. She resists her mother's assertive ""going-to-work voice"" and ""no-more-stalling voice,"" but finally goes to get dressed. In her bedroom, which features a cardboard mini-castle populated by toy animals, Lottie ""fix[es] her hair in a princess style"" and puts on her floor-length yellow-and-gold dress. At this, her mom throws a tantrum (complete with a dragon's breath of red fire), but soon relents: ""Well, maybe if you wore your warm coat."" Triumphant, Lottie next convinces her mother to ditch her practical business attire and wear a ""red dress with glittery gold spots"" to work. They top off their outfits with shiny crowns, then go out to catch the bus. Kaergel provides angular colored-pencil illustrations reminiscent of G. Brian Karas's style, adding an appropriate sparkle with patches of gold foil that reflect light from the pages. D rrie effectively shows how a mother and daughter might cooperate and compromise during the stressful morning rush. However, the author includes superfluous dialogue and description, making for a dry and overlong read-aloud session. Despite the playful pictures, this tale is more a lesson for uptight parents than an enticement for children. Ages 4-8. (July)