Picture Book Review: Not Quite Snow White

We received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review Date: September 20th, 2019

Written By: Ashley Franklin
Illustrated By: Ebony Glenn

Cover Copy

Once upon a time there was a girl who wanted nothing more than to play Snow White in her school’s musical.

Excitedly, Tameika dances and sings her way through the halls. But in the day of auditions, she overheard some kids suggesting that she is not princess material. Tameika suddenly doesn’t feel quite right enough to play a perfectly poised princess.

Will Tameika let this be her final curtain call?

Review

I really like books like this because I feel like the stories are really important, but then part of me also worries about reading stories like this to Madeline because of the meanness of the kids. I feel like she’s so innocent, and gets along so well with the kids in her class that she won’t have had this kind of thinking yet. But then I think, she’s going to come across this meanness sooner than I think, and I want her to know these stories ahead of time so she recognizes how that affects the people being talked about so she will know better and hopefully do better. It’s also very important for her to see that it’s not as easy for kids with different skin colors as hers to do things that would seem easy for her. On top of all that, it’s an empowering story about loving and accepting yourself and knowing you are enough just the way you are.

Kid Ratings

• Font Readability: 10/10
• Kid Engagement: 9/10
• Mommy Engagement: 9/10