#423 – The Pen Pieyu Adventures, Book 2: Sir Princess Petra’s Talent By Diane Mae Robinson

By SMorris/KidLitReviews

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Diane_Robinson_CoverIIThe Pen Pieyu Adventures, Book 2: Sir Princess Petra’s Talent

By Diane Mae Robinson

Samantha Kickingbird, illustrator

Tate Publishing

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Back Cover:  Sir Princess Petra has already proven she is a kind and noble knight. This, however, does not please the king and queen—they want her to behave like a princess and forget this silly knight nonsense of hers! But when the king writes a new rule in the royal rule book that requires her to attend Talent School and acquire a princess talent certificate or suffer the spell of the royal magician, Petra, reluctantly, agrees to go. But who could have guessed what Sir Princess Petra’s Talent would be?

Opening:  Over the last several months, Longstride Castle had become quite accustomed to having the only snarls webPrincess Knight, well, the only knight actually, in the lands of Pen Pieyu. The king and queen held many parties in Petra’s honor, and royals and peasants alike acknowledged the Princess Knight’s kindness and bravery . . .

About the Story:  Princess Petra became a knight in book 1, much to her parent’s discontent. Now the king has thrown another curveball, He wrote another new rule in the royal rulebook designed to get Petra acting like a princess not a knight, a distinctly male occupation (though not one male in any of the kingdoms in Pen Pieyu could pass muster—for the job). Now, Sir Princess Petra must go to Talent School and learn a talent face rtbefitting a princess. King Longstride even makes sure Petra takes one of the talent classes the royal couple would like her to take.

Petra and her trusty steed Snarls, the new chef at the castle, go to Talent School, but not before running into a roadblock and then the school’s only instructor. King Asterman tries pushing Petra into every talent but the one she wants. On the way home, with a new friend in tow, the princess knight and her steed visit the Land of the Vast Wilderness, which contains several surprises for both Petra and the occupants of this strange land. The king and queen will not be pleased.

What I Thought:  I enjoyed this second edition of Sir Princess Petra and Snarls. There aredonkey many oddball characters, some silly situations, and a pair of determined parents. Attempts to control a strong-headed, yet kind and caring almost ten-year-old royal brings about goofy humor kids will like. Petra is a great role model for girls. She is determined to be herself, even if that means knocking down the kingdom’s patriarchal system and displease her equally determined parents.

I love Prince Duce Crablips and his girl worries. Nearing ten-years-old, Prince Duce is not ready to settle down or begin a six to eight year engagement. Petra has no idea Prince Duce even exists, let alone that he is her betrothed. Talent School is a disaster, considering the last of the donkeys have fled and King Asterman must run the school and teach the classes. I love reversal of traditional male/female roles, especially the humor that goes with this.

the 3

The illustrations are in black & white. The line sketches add substance to the story with characters much like those the reader will envision (at least this reader). Sir Princess Petra’s Talent, like the book before this, is a good choice for reluctant readers. The chapters are short and the story can be read in one sitting or in ten days at one chapter a day. It is also a great bedtime story for these same reasons. Beginning readers may need a little help, but will be on their way soon enough with the easy text.

Sir Princess Petra’s Talent could have spent more time on Petra pursuing her talent. I thought those scenes were too few considering it is the main topic of the second book. I thought Petra earned her certificate too easily and would have liked longer, more developed scenes. We learn little about the school and Snarls’ antics. One thing that confused me is the statement that Petra is the only knight in the lands of Pen Pieyu. Prince Crablips is called a strange knight . . . armour in different . . . his helmet was a weird . . .  Is Duce a Knightly Prince or just a prince who wears knight’s armor?

scrap snarls

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the story-within-the-story. The new characters had just the right quirks. Sir Princess Petra’s Talent is a great book for girls but boys will like Petra. She is what years from her time is called a tomboy. Boys her age (8-10), like girls who are not girly. The story is also a good choice for teachers that read a chapter at a time to their students. Each chapter has points worth discussing. Petra explains to King Asterman the different forms of poetry (ballad, sonnet, limerick), but gets cut-off. My favorite possible discussion point:

What is a story? somebody (in the kingdom), finally asked.

Petra answered . . . Stories tell a tale worth remembering . . .

If they do, Sir Princess Petra’s Talent is a story worth remembering.

The Pen Pieyu Adventures, Book 2: Sir Princess Petra’s Talent

By Diane Mae Robinson     website    blog

Samantha Kickingbird, illustrator    blog     linkedin

Tate Publishing    website    blog    news

Released September 24, 2013

ISBN:  978-1-62510-682-7

91 pages

Age 7 to 9

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© 2013 by Tate Publishing, used with permission

Text copyright © 2013 by Diane Mae Robinson

Illustrations © 2013 by Samantha Kickingbird

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petra book 2

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Diane has a journalism diploma from the Schools of Montreal and an advanced diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature. The author teaches acrylic and watercolor art to children, and is an instructor at the 2012-07-13 08.57.08Creative Writing Institute. She also works full time at a dental office

The author’s first book in this series, Sir Princess Petra – The Pen Pieyu Adventures, has won two prestigious awards: Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award (literary arts) and a Purple Dragonfly Book Award. The book is short-listed for two other awards.

WEBSITE — BLOG — FACEBOOK — TWITTER — B&N   

GOODREADS — TATE PUBLISHING — LINKEDIN — AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 

 

 

 


 

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40 thoughts on “#423 – The Pen Pieyu Adventures, Book 2: Sir Princess Petra’s Talent By Diane Mae Robinson”

  1. Pingback: Book Spotlight: Sir Princess Petra's Talent by Diane Mae Robinson | Mother Daughter Book Reviews

  2. Pingback: Sir Princess Petra Books. | One Girl Writes

  3. Pingback: Sir Princess Petra is Back! | Kid Lit Reviews

  4. Pingback: Sir Princess Petra’s Talent Tour: Thank You Bloggers | Kid Lit Reviews

    • Thank you. I just learned something new. I had no idea elves read bedtime stories to their young, but then I just noticed . . . you’re a BOOK elf. Of course you’d read at bedtime! 🙂

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  7. You know, Sue, I love that you mentioned it being a good bedtime book, too 🙂 One of my favorite memories of bedtime book reading with my son was when I read a short novel to him. He enjoyed it so much, he would keep wanting me to read chapter after chapter. It was SO much fun 🙂

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    • I bet that was nice. I imagine it would be hard for both of you to stop after one chapter a night. Sometimes the author is so terrific at enticing you to flip that page. This is one of those books. 🙂

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  8. Congrats to Sue and Diane for a great tour! I was glad to be a part of it and to help spread the word about the spunky Petra. 🙂

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    • Rhythm, you can’t catch up? What is “up” that you cannot catch? I am a bit confused by your statement. Did you mean “I need ketchup,” and misspell? Well, whatever is up that you need to catch, I am sure you will snag it with your mouth and drool all over it before handing it to your person.
      Have fun chasing this up! When you have time, read both books in Diane’s series. There is a mastiff in book 2. Finally, canines have been allowed to come in to the kingdom. 😀

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      • Hahhaha! Ms Morris you are a funny one!! I’m having trouble catching some of these books. They seem to be flying too high and fast for my legs! But maybe I should jump over that 1st book and catch the 2nd one that has a dog in it?! I might be more welcome in that kingdom!

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        • Hey Rhythm,Snarls here. Just between you and me, is Ms. Morris kind of a quack? Of course you can catch Up–Up is a dog, right?

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          • I thought “UP” was more a bird-thing. Isn’t “Sit” or “Stay” more a dog thing? And dragons, I think their thing is “Stop with the Fire!”

            But sure, Rhythm can catch up. Some dogs are great at catching frisbees, so why not books? Start with picture books and then move “up” to larger sized books.

            Snarls, go home. The tour is over and your author friend is probably looking for you to start a grill or a furnace or something.

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  11. Hi Sue,

    Thank you so much for you honest and insightful review (as usual). And I really appreciate the amount of work you have put into this blog tour–you are doing a fantastic job. I’ m still laughing over the character interview we had–way too funny.

    Oh, about your confusion if Duce Crablips is a knight: Petra is the only knight in the Kingdom of Pen Pieyu (refer to map). Duce comes from a different kingdom–the Kingdom of Crablips. Duce is a knightly prince from his kingdom, just as Prince Nastybun is a knight from the Kingdom of Messogie.

    There are still more kingdoms to explore in book 3, and maybe, just maybe more unusual knights that Petra will encounter. And, in book 3, Petra has just learned that she will encounter carpenters(whatever that is) in the Kingdom of the Boogy Gobees.

    Thanks again,Sue, for your great review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book.

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    • Ah, I see my mistake.
      I thought Petra lived in the Kingdom of Longstride, like Prince Crablips lives in the Kingdom of Crablips, the donkeys in the Kingdom of Lost Donkeys, and the Boogy Gobees live in Kingdom of Boogy Goobees and they all lived in Kingdom of Pen Pieyu (because I didn’t remember the “and surrounding lands” on the page with the map. 😦

      My mistake. I will correct it after Petra and Duce get married. It will be my present to the royal couple of the one-day Kingdom of Pen Pieyu Crablips. 😀

      I was a little afraid of what might happen (i.e. what you would do to me), if I didn’t like it. I knew no matter what I thought I had to SAY I liked it. You have too many strange, oddly behaved creatures at your disposal. I don’t know how Canadian mail works, but they just might deliver said creatures. 🙄

      It was a pleasure to help you run your tour. Just think, if you hadn’t told me the outrageous amount of money wanted for a tour, you could have had a professional running this instead of an amatuer-running-by-the-seat-of-her-pants tour manager. 🙂

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      • SNARLS: “What do you mean she could have had a professional running the tour?”

        PETRA: “So we didn’t have to answer all those ridiculous interview questions by this running-by-the-seat-of-her-pants person?”

        KING LONGSTRIDE: “Outrageous amount of money?? Is she demanding money? The scoundrel!”

        ROYAL MAGICIAN: “Do you want me to use that “toes falling off” spell now, Sire?”

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      • It is very creative and imaginative and funny and too short, if you ask me. Maybe I shouldn’t say that. Some authors get testy over the common word funny, when I could use humorous instead.

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        • You know, any author who would get testy over someone describing their book as FUNNY instead of HUMOROUS, takes themselves and their work way to SERIOUSLY *sigh* Maybe they’d prefer “BORING”? lol

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  12. Great review & tour Sue! I really like your point that is great for teachers to read a chapter at a time. I have followed this tour and must say that I love the illustrations and am eager to read this book.

    Paul R. Hewlett

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    • Thanks Paul. I appreciate finding you on many of the sites that blogged for this tour. It is nice to see one writer encouraging another, and I am not talking about Princess Petra, but I suppose she could be included. 😀

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