In this children's story, young Princess Alice runs away from home and makes an unexpected friend who teaches her important life lessons and positive affirmations while on the journey of a lifetime. This allegorical tale imparts nuggets of wisdom to help guide young children in life while staying true to who they are.
In this children's story, young Princess Alice runs away from home and makes an unexpected friend who teaches her important life lessons and positive affirmations while on the journey of a lifetime. This allegorical tale imparts nuggets of wisdom to help guide young children in life while staying true to who they are.
Princess Alice is a free-spirited, strong-willed child who longs for freedom from her royal title. She detests the rules she must adhere to, the fancy attire, and the mundane daily lessons. She wants to speak freely, explore the outdoors, and live a non-royal life. While leaving her home is scary, the possibility of what lives before her is exhilarating. The possibilities are endless!Â
Alice daydreamed about swimming in rivers and climbing trees, but she was practical, too; she knew shelter and water were must-haves. Even though she brought food, she needed to secure a food source. Luckily, the forest provided sustenance.Â
When she met the bear (Seraphina), I wondered how she would best the imposing animal; I was pleasantly stunned when Seraphina spoke and how polite it was. Seraphina and Alice became the unlikeliest friends. The princess confided to the bear, "I need to be myself. I can't be happy if I'm always doing and saying what other people tell me to do or say." Seraphina gave a perfect response, "You will always be learning. As you grow and experience different things, you will learn more and more about yourself. Some things about you will stay for only a few months or years, while others will stay your entire life."
Adults ask children, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Many people feel they need to follow someone else's dream or have it all figured out at an early age. Instead of focusing on the future, children should be children. They should explore, swim, climb trees, and be children until they claim a title.
The great bear was correct in this quote: "Life is one adventure after another Alice, and you never know how any of the adventures will turn out." Seraphina also made valid points regarding love and respect.Â
While I do not condone any child running away from home, this short read had some great life lessons. Children should be raised to follow their own path (figuratively speaking) and be open to new experiences. They should be kind to others and remember friends come in all shapes and sizes. Again, reinforce that while Alice's story had a happy ending, that is uncommon. Running away is never the answer!Â
Amazon has the book listed for children 4-8. Due to the lack of imagery and storyline, I would increase the reading age to older elementary students.Â
Review submitted to Reedsy on May 17th.