Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Schneider's playful take on the beauty makeover upends expectations with comedic—and powerful—results. When Amelia receives Princess Sparkle-Heart, the girl and doll become fast friends. From dancing and tea parties to weddings and secrets, they share almost everything—much to the chagrin of the family dog. Growling and glowering his way across spreads, the canine has it in for the doll. So it's no surprise when tragedy strikes and Sparkle-Heart is torn to shreds. But all is not lost, as Amelia and her mom make the doll anew. With extra stuffing for "protection," a few extra button eyes (because it's hard to choose "just two"), some "good teeth" and a comic-book–inspired outfit, the transformation is complete. After a suspenseful makeover reveal, it's clear Amelia adores her now-monsterlike doll more than ever—and in that moment, Schneider redefines beauty and what is "princess." Meticulous pen, ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly capture Amelia's emotions; she is reminiscent of Pippi Longstocking, with her red, statement hairdo, blue denim overalls and plucky personality. Cinematic illustrations play with proportion and perspective, echoing the work of comic-book luminaries Geof Darrow and Moebius. A clever cover, with its curvy, bedazzled, pink title splashed across the page, acts as a beacon to the princess-obsessed, while craft-licious lettering toward the bottom hints at the tale's interior. A testament to the joy of creation and a celebration of a different kind of beauty—sparkling indeed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Schneider's playful take on the beauty makeover upends expectations with comedic—and powerful—results. When Amelia receives Princess Sparkle-Heart, the girl and doll become fast friends. From dancing and tea parties to weddings and secrets, they share almost everything—much to the chagrin of the family dog. Growling and glowering his way across spreads, the canine has it in for the doll. So it's no surprise when tragedy strikes and Sparkle-Heart is torn to shreds. But all is not lost, as Amelia and her mom make the doll anew. With extra stuffing for "protection," a few extra button eyes (because it's hard to choose "just two"), some "good teeth" and a comic-book–inspired outfit, the transformation is complete. After a suspenseful makeover reveal, it's clear Amelia adores her now-monsterlike doll more than ever—and in that moment, Schneider redefines beauty and what is "princess." Meticulous pen, ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly capture Amelia's emotions; she is reminiscent of Pippi Longstocking, with her red, statement hairdo, blue denim overalls and plucky personality. Cinematic illustrations play with proportion and perspective, echoing the work of comic-book luminaries Geof Darrow and Moebius. A clever cover, with its curvy, bedazzled, pink title splashed across the page, acts as a beacon to the princess-obsessed, while craft-licious lettering toward the bottom hints at the tale's interior. A testament to the joy of creation and a celebration of a different kind of beauty—sparkling indeed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Schneider (Bedtime Monsters) continues to show a remarkable talent for bringing uncommon humor and psychological depth to ordinary situations. In this case, the treasured doll of the title meets with an -accident- at the hands (or rather jaws) of the family dog. Princess Sparkle-Heart belongs to Amelia, a girl with a shock of red hair and a fondness for staging elaborate tea parties and -royal weddings- (Princess Sparkle-Heart marries a stuffed penguin early on). But amid all this playtime merriment, doom closes in with a low and steady -GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.- Schneider doesn-t hold back one iota in the climactic scene when Princess Sparkle-Heart is shaken to bits by the dog, disintegrating in a fountain of stuffing and pink scraps (her penguin spouse looks away in horror). Amelia is devastated, but her mother sweeps in to give the doll the Six Million Dollar Man treatment, resulting in Princess Sparkle-Heart 2.0, which is built as much for vengeance as for cuddles. With deadpan writing and subtle details that let each spread tell a story of its own, Schneider delivers another winner. Ages 4-8. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. (Apr.)

Horn Book

Amelia's jealous dog hates Amelia's beloved princess doll. Following "an accident" (read: the dog destroys the doll), Amelia rebuilds Princess Sparkle-Heart, but readers don't see until book's end that it now resembles a dog-repelling Raggedy Annlike horror-movie creation. Schneider plays it perfectly: Amelia is mellow throughout, and he never tips his hand regarding her sinister side. The droll art is pleasantly sparkle-light.

ALA Booklist

Pink-glitter bubble type on the cover belies the edgy, slightly bizarre, and all-the-more-fun-for-it story about a twosome stretching to become a threesome. Amelia and her dog are best friends until Princess Sparkle-Heart, a stuffed fabric doll, arrives. Now Amelia and the princess do almost everything together, unaware of the undercurrent of unhappiness that sounds like this: grrrrrrrrrrrr. Illustrations done in pen and ink and watercolor are placed on spacious white backgrounds and pop off the page. Especially dramatic is Amelia with her shock of red hair, while the prowling puppy looks appropriately disgruntled, with his growl earning its own continuous line of text. When the dog gets his chance, he thrashes the stuffing out of Princess Sparkle-Heart, never dreaming she'll be remade into something bigger, better, less sparkly, and definitely . . . scarier! The reveal is exquisitely paced and readers will initially be as shocked as the dog, then quickly reduced to giggles. Lessons taught and learned, this is tail-wagging fun for all but the most sensitive.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1 With simple, strategically placed text, friendship outlasts jealousy in a tale of rescue. Amelia and her dog are best friends until she becomes an inseparable pal to her doll. Her faithful pup paces with a "GRRRRRRRRR" of frustration across each page as the child and Princess Sparkle-Heart keep secrets, go to "royal weddings," or have tea parties together. In anger, Amelia's dog chews up the doll, scattering bits of pink and sparkle across two pages and necessitating the arrival of an understanding mom and her sewing box. It's not beauty but love and imagination that create a bond with the new "Super" Princess Sparkle-Heart, fully capable of frightening away all threats. Ink and watercolor illustrations on a simple white backdrop frame red-haired Amelia and her pouting, princess-chewing pooch from all angles. The sparkly pink cover will instantly attract readers to this heartwarming tale of friendship and creative resiliency. Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX