Title: The Princess and the Mirror
Author: Isabel Cintra
Publisher: Underline Publishing LLC
ISBN: 978-1949868241
Pages: 26
Genre: Children’s Fairytale
Reviewed by: Nicole Olson
Hollywood Book Reviews
Author Isabel Cintra’s beautiful children’s book The Princess and the Mirror belongs on the bookshelf of every little girl in this country! Not only is it full of imaginative and detailed illustrations by Zeka Cintra, the storyline teaches young girls and boys alike about the pain and power of vanity.
I loved this book and fell completely engrossed in the beautiful pictures. My 2-year-old son even loved reading it with me. There are a lot of words on the page but that adds to the richness of this book. There is so much learning that can happen right in our laps! As parents we hold the key to learning and books like this one allow us to transform bed time to a magical place.
This book is appropriate for children of all ages and can grow with a child from babyhood and beyond. The beautiful imagery fosters many opportunities for language development. As a child gets older, they may have questions about the pictures – like why the princess doesn’t have a face drawn in? Parents can explain to children about symbolism and artistic license. While many adults know what it means to be vain – a child finds this a foreign concept. I do not think I learned this word until I was much older, however it certainly would have helped me as a teenager if I had understood this concept.
Isabel and her brother Zeka Cintra did a wonderful job on this little masterpiece. I think any child would enjoy this book. I love that it shows the beauty of love, and also features a non-white protagonist. I think children really need to see a variety of people represented in the books they read and this book is a perfect addition to any children’s book shelf.
School classrooms and libraries could also benefit from using this book in story time and lessons. I believe that even boys can learn about vanity and it is important for them to understand that true beauty lies within. I think all children find castles and magic spells interesting and would be enthralled by this story. The imaginative illustrations allow for children to learn how to make inferences and really find interesting details about the story. These are all key to helping children learn about comprehension and reading books without pictures later on in life. Books like Cintra’s foster a love for reading and teach children how to be excellent and thoughtful readers.