Princess Jessica Rescues a Prince - Hardcover

Jennifer Brooks

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0963633503 ISBN 13: 9780963633507

Publisher: NADJA Publishing, 2006

Synopsis

Princess Jessica welcomes three handicapped gnomes to her castle. They tell her of a prince far away whose singing is so beautiful that he was carried off by a lonesome sea serpent. Princess Jessica and her vain sister, Edith, set out to rescue Prince Ryan. A true princess doesn't wait for a Prince Charming to come along and save her. She bravely and cheerfully exhibits courage and determination to overcome obstacles and danger-and remembers that friends can be a magical addition to life.

About this title

About the Author:

Jennifer Brooks was inspired to create this charming fantasy by the children she met in a live-in hospital while her son was ill. She attempted to reflect their example of courage, strength and love in the characters in Princess Jessica.

Review:

California author Jennifer Brooks thinks it's time little girls had some better role models in the storybooks they read. So Ms. Brooks took matters into her own hands and created Princess Jessica rescues a Prince, a new children's book featuring a heroine with adventures and a mind of her own. Princess Jessica likes clothes and tea parties, but she doesn't spend her days longing for a prince to carry her away and create a life for her like other fairy tale heroines do, according to Ms. Brooks' press release. Do we want (little girls) to emulate these passive, quiescent attitudes? she asks. Cinderella is a wimp!; she says. The Little Mermaid is a lovesick teenager! The book is also a legacy to Ms. Brooks' young son Ryan, who was stricken with AIDS. He died at age 9. The prince in the book is named Ryan, of course, and he is strong and sensitive. Other heroes in the story are physically disabled in different ways--a tribute to the many hospitalized children Ms. Brooks met while caring for her son. Proceeds from the book go to organizations that help children with AIDS. --The Washington Times

Non-sexist fairy tales Do classic fairy tales give kids positive role models and messages? Jennifer Brooks, a Los Angeles-based children's advocate, former counselor and nurse, doesn't think so. Consider these popular fairy tale characters: *Cinderella scrubs floors all day long and daydreams that someone will rescue her. *Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are suspended in sleep until a kiss from a prince gives them a reason to live. * The Little Mermaid is a lovesick teenager who changes her species to get her guy. I think these are anything but smart, strong role models for kids, particularly young girls, Brooks said. A 1991 study on the emotional development of girls, funded by the American Association of University Women, confirms Brooks' theory. The study found that girls have a much poorer self image and lower self-confidence than boys. This study, and additional ones, have concluded that fairy tale stereotyping is one of the causes for little girls' poor self images. That's why Brooks has set out to reinvent the classic fairy tale in her new book Princess Jessica Rescues A Prince. Brooks was inspired to write her modern day fairy tale with positive role models for children after the death of her own son Ryan, who contracted the AIDS virus from a routine blood transfusion at birth. He was 9 years old when he died. All of the characters in Brooks' tale are based on terminally-ill children she encountered in the hospital during her young son's illness. A portion of the book's proceeds will be donated to the Camp Heartland Project, a camp for children with AIDS. --Journal Star

PRINCESS JESSICA RESCUES A PRINCE. by Jennifer Brooks, illustrations by Lennie Flores. NADJA Publishing, $16.95 Not just a book, but a world. This immense-sized volume has a wise story and full-color illustrations that cheerfully capture the scenes. There are two princesses, different as pride and humility. They come across three traveling gnomes who tell the sad story of their prince who played the guitar and sang for the people. But the prince was spirited away by a lonely old sea serpent, who heard the sweet music and desired to have it for his own. The two princesses decide to rescue the prince. And so the adventure proceeds. But these are not ordinary adventures. They teach quite a few lessons about bravery, dejection, and the inspiring nature of music. We see the two princesses: one lost in dreams of being rescued by a magical prince (as so many women are taught in our world), and the other simply liking adventure. The ending is happy and --no--they don't marry and live happily ever after. The humble princess, as a matter of fact, refuses the offer of marriage. I have many more adventures to make and travels to take! With books like this around, we might have to give up some mighty stupid myths we live by. Brooks keeps us moving at a fast clip, teaches simple lessons without being teacherly. And those illustrations by Flores deepen and give meaning to common-sensible advice about life. A lovely excursion into truth. --Child's Play

About this edition

• Publisher: NADJA Publishing
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0963633503
• ISBN 13: 9780963633507
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Lennie Flores