Book Review: Princess Furball, retold by Charlotte Huck, illustrated by Anita Lobel

Huck, Charlotte S. 1989. PRINCESS FURBALL. Illustrated by Anita Lobel. New York, NY: Greenwillow. ISBN 0-688-13107-7.

Plot Summary: This entertaining variation of the classic Cinderella story has two Kings and one princess but no evil stepmother or stepsisters. In this version, the motherless daughter of a king is betrothed to an ogre. Luckily, the princess had been raised by a wise and loving nurse who helped the princess become a capable young woman, before herself dying. The princess chooses to leave the castle rather than marry the ogre but takes with her several items that would later serve her well: three dresses (one of gold, one of silver, one “as glittering as the stars”), a coat made from the fur of every animal in the kingdom (hence the name Princess Furball), her mother’s ring, thimble, and spinning wheel, and lastly a mix of special herbs to season soup.

After much adventure, Princess Furball winds up as a kitchen servant in another King’s realm. This retelling includes not one but three royal balls and ends with the King (not the prince) and the princess living happily ever after with, according to the last illustration, three beautiful children.

Critical Analysis: The “Cinderella variant” in this tale is quite resourceful, going against the sometimes stereotypical depiction of the helpless female often found in fairy tales. The archetypes of good and evil are represented by, respectively, the princess and the nurse and the ogre and the princess’s father, the King. Princess Furball is the embodiment of goodness, beauty, and tenacity. The embodiment of evil and ugliness is not as strong: the ogre and the cook are one-dimensional characters whose only purpose is to move the story along.

The plot is linear and predictable (as is expected in this genre) with the Princess going from her father’s castle, to the forest, to the King’s kitchen, and ends with Furball as the Queen. It follows the paradigm of the journey with obstacles that must be overcome and a satisfying resolution.

The setting is not described in detail (again as is common with fairy tales) but from the illustrations appears to be European, High Middle Ages. The theme – independence, resourcefulness, and tenacity – are reinforced through Furball’s “spunk and good sense.” The style is typical of the standard Cinderella story, beginning with “Once upon a time…” and ending with “and they lived happily ever after” thus providing the reader with familiar motifs including the magical objects and the number three.

The illustrations by Anita Lobel are colorful and detailed and evince an artistic style that blends realism with an exaggerated folk art quality. They complement the story and provide a warm yet vibrant backdrop that serves to anchor the reader in the fairy tale realm. Cultural markers reflect the European tradition, although variations of the Cinderella story from Africa, Latin America, and China could be used to compare and contrast cultural traditions. The value of the folk tale or fairy story is that it taps into the collective unconscious and reflects the abstract concept of universal truths.

Review Excerpts:
Publishers Weekly: “Huck deftly retells a variant of the Cinderella story…(and)…Lobel’s elegantly composed paintings…are as lovely as the princess herself.”
School Library Journal: “Huck’s telling is smooth and graceful…(and)…author and illustrator have created a strong female character…resourceful and charming throughout.” “Fresh and satisfying.”
The Horn Book: “A handsome, substantive retelling.”
A reader’s review: “I am five years old and I thought Princess Furball…was so good it should have gotten an award.” (December, 2004, Amazon web site)

Connections:

Read Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters (an African Cinderella variant) and compare and contrast the two using a Venn diagram, Book Comparison Chart, or other graphic organizer. This should be done as a group discussion activity utilizing a whiteboard, butcher paper, or Smart board. This activity will also expose the children to multicultural literature and how many themes and literary elements are universal. Gender differences could also be compared and contrasted using the Bible story of Joseph. Even in a public library or public school, religious stories approached as literature “(have) an important and rightful place in any comprehensive discussion of traditional literature” (Vardell, 85). This sentiment was validated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1963: “The Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities” (ibid).

Make soup!! Assign ingredients and have the children bring in their ingredient. All items could be placed in the pot by the children. Since cooking it in the library might be problematic, the librarian could make the soup at home and bring it the next day. Then the librarian could bring out a special seasoning packet and sprinkle it in. As the children enjoy the soup (perhaps while listening to a second reading of Furball) it will really bring the story to life by engaging the sense of smell and taste. Before doing this activity, the librarian should be sure that there are no dietary restrictions and that all children have permission to sample the soup (permission slip).

Brown Bag Book Report: This story really lends itself to this strategy for retelling a story. The librarian/reader simply fills a paper bag with things that represent the story. For Princess Furball, examples would be a packet of herbs, a gold ring, a thimble, a crown, a picture of an ogre (the uglier the better!), pieces of gold and silver lame’, a piece of fake fur, a walnut, a cook’s spoon, a star (or cloth with stars on it), a spinning wheel (or a picture), a picture of the sun, the moon, the stars, a picture of a wedding cake. The story can be told and retold using the items in the bag. This is also an excellent tactile activity that not only brings the children into the storytelling process but also stimulates tactile awareness in young children.