The Fix-it Princess
Written by Janeen Brian
Illustrations by Cherie Dignam
Walker Books Australia, 2023
ISBN: 9781760654825
Highly Recommended Ages 7-9 years
Themes: Fantasy, Princesses, Dragons, Family, Quests, Problem solving, Resilience, Perseverance
The Fix-it Princess written by South Australian children’s author Janeen Brian, is a fun and engaging fantasy novel for younger readers. Take an assertive and creative young princess, a Castle-by-the-Woods, a singing dragon with a slightly embarrassing secret plus an old farting horse named Wildfire, and you have all the ingredients for a great read.
Princess Shona is the beloved daughter of Mum-Queen and Dad-King who have gone missing after taking off in one of Princess Shona’s inventions, the Wing-Thing. She is becoming increasingly worried about their absence and she and Wildfire survive initially on oats and eggs laid by the hens. As each day passes Princess Shona continues to try to problem-solve her situation and fix all the things that are not quite right but she realises she must start searching for her parents. She eventually finds help unexpectedly close to home and her quest begins.
This delightful book is full of energy with a bubbly, bouncing main character that will keep the reader wondering what on earth she will do next. The story is full of rich descriptive language as well as whimsical drawings which allow the reader a perfect glimpse into the world of Princess Shona. This book would be a wonderful shared read-aloud in a classroom or at home.
Reviewed by Kathryn Beilby