Dogerella (Step into Reading)

DOGERELLA SPENDS HER days scratching the fleas and fluffing the tails of her ungrateful stepdog mother and mean stepdog sisters. At night, she dreams of a home where she is loved. In a nearby castle lives Bea, a sweet, slightly spoiled princess whose fondest wish is for a loyal pet to call her own. A dog’s dream and a princess’s wish come true in this funny fairy tale. School Library Journal Gr 2-3 In a market glutted with fairy-tale retellings, one might feel justified in saying, Absolutely no more Cinderella variations! However, this accessible early reader about a kindhearted mutt with sorrowful eyes, her wicked stepfamily, and a princess who wants a dog more than anything else in the world is sweet, thoughtfully written, and appealing in its readability. Boelts avoids obvious arch doggy-puns in favor of a story that reveals the universal longing for companionship and compassion over material wealth and extra-fluffy tails. Wu's color illustrations complement the text with gentle humor.- Farida S. Dowler, formerly at Mercer Island Library, WA With the help of her fairy dogmother, Dogerella attends Princess Bea's ball where she competes with other dogs to become the princess's royal pet.