ALA Booklist (Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

A clever frog longs for a princely life, so when he overhears two princesses reading the Frog Prince, he hops out of the water and declares himself to be Prince Ribbit, enchanted by a jealous wizard. The two princesses, convinced that the slimy little fellow could be turned into a handsome prince, proceed to pamper him. Meanwhile, Princess Martha esumably the sister of the others kes facts more than fairy tales and doesn't buy the frog's story, but her sisters pooh-pooh her science books when she tries to prove the truth. "Just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true!" they say, and that phrase is the story's constant refrain, all the way through the twist ending. Lushly colored illustrations showing bucolic landscapes and richly appointed interiors provide a fitting backdrop to this royal tale, while allowing the unique personalities of the characters to shine. A good-natured story, glamorous enough to satisfy hardcore princess fans and nuanced enough for those who like a little depth in their fairy tales.

Kirkus Reviews

Three pink-cheeked, white princesses meet a conniving frog in this amusing metafictional parody of "The Frog Prince."The two older sisters are elegant young ladies in jewels and brocade gowns who sit in the palace garden reading fairy tales. They sit quietly and read "The Frog Prince," while their much younger sister, Princess Martha, prefers learning facts and studying real frogs. A clever frog introduces himself as the ensorcelled Prince Ribbit and convinces the older sisters to take him indoors for a pampered life. Spunky Princess Martha, with red, curly hair and glasses, sees through the frog's ruse. Her sisters offer fairy tales to prove their point, while Martha counters with informational texts, triggering the story's refrain: "Just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true." The older sisters kiss the frog to try to break the spell and turn him into a handsome prince and future husband, but Martha tries to befriend the frog, sealing the deal with a gentle kiss. In a surprising twist ending, the frog turns into a dark-haired, pale-skinned prince who is "SO handsome that Martha decided she DID want to marry him after all." The final page, however, shows Martha laughing with the real frog, along with the story's thematic advice not to believe everything, as "just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true." Despite the tongue-in-cheek ambiguity of the ending, the story seems to reinforce the notion that partners should be chosen based on appearances. In addition, Princess Martha appears far too young to be contemplating marriage, so the moment when readers think she is may unsettle them. A huge trim size and digitally produced illustrations in bright, jewel tones add appeal. An entertaining effort with a disappointing denouement. (Picture book. 4-7)

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

Once upon a time, a talking frog tried to pull a long con on two princess sisters. Lucinda and Arabella are devotees of fairy tales, so they think the frog has Potential Handsome Prince written all over his green face; he-s invited to dine at their table and sleep in a royal bed. But a third sister, Martha (whose personality and tresses may remind readers of Merida from Brave), insists that -Just because it-s in a book doesn-t mean it-s true,- and sets out to find the cold, hard facts. Since those facts live in science books, however, Martha finds her own words turned against her. These proceedings may cause a little uneasiness in anyone who believes we-ve entered a post-truth world, but rest assured that Emmett and Bernatene, collaborators on The Santa Trap and other titles, are here to entertain, not debate objective reality. The pictures have the vivid sweep and irreverent characterizations of modern animation, the frog is a suitably haughty rogue, and readers will take away a universally appealing lesson: it-s fun to be clever. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)