Melisande by E. Nesbit, illustrated by P. J. Lynch

This is one of my favorites of E. Nesbit's short fairy tales.

Melisande's parents, being modern monarchs, decide to avoid all that christening unpleasantness and christen the baby themselves.....but do-it-yourselfers often run into trouble and kings and queens are no exception! They find themselves faced with an angry mob of fairies and only the king's logical reasoning gets them out of a nasty situation.

Unfortunately, when it's all over, little Princess Melisande, although sweet and good and lovely, also turns out....bald. Not to worry, the king has a useful wish stored away; but it doesn't work quite as expected. It takes a handsome prince, several tries, and a lot of mathematics before Melisande can settle down to her happily ever after.

P. J. Lynch's gorgeous illustrations are the perfect complement for this logical, nonsensical, and fantastical fairy tale.

Verdict: This picture book is too long for the average storytime read-aloud, but older children who like fairy tales might enjoy listening to it.


ISBN: 978-0152531645; Published October 1989 by Harcourt; Borrowed from the library; Added to my personal wishlist