Tiana's Perfect Plan

"Disney’s Princess Tiana sets out to make the perfect cake for a royal Mardi Gras visit. Tiana leaps from the film The Princess and the Frog (2009) to the page in this book written by the Tony Award–winning voice of Tiana, Noni Rose. When her husband Naveen’s parents, the queen and king of Maldonia, announce that they will be arriving for Mardi Gras, Tiana begins planning a special treat for her royal guests. She secures a treasured recipe for king cake and begins searching the bayou for a “dollop of magic glow” to enhance her planned “king and queen cake.” Even though the final product is imperfect, Tiana realizes that the real magic is her love and effort. The story includes a peppering of French words and phrases, thoughtfully explained to readers: fêted, je ne sais quoi, and even simply voilà. Noni Rose’s Tiana is capable and determined, leaving Naveen behind to prepare the house while she ventures out for her special ingredient. Even her accompanying manservant, Raha, bumbles in comparison with her confident proficiency. The illustrations are a match for Disney’s, and Raha’s missteps—seen mostly in the artwork—will make readers giggle. Besides showing Tiana as a quick, skillful, problem solver, the story also has a sweet message of the value in doing your best and doing it with love. Tiana is Black; most characters are pictured with brown skin. A capable, strong role model takes charge in this entertaining, worthy read." - Kirkus Reviews

"K-Gr 2–In this picture book continuation of Disney motion picture The Princess and the Frog, Tiana is not only preparing her restaurant for Mardi Gras, but also planning a Mardi Gras party for Naveen’s parents, the king and queen. She is, of course, searching for the perfect dessert to impress the in-laws and will go through an adventure in the bayou to make this delectable sweet. The artwork is in line with the film with full-color spreads of scenes set in New Orleans with the familiar cast of characters: Naveen, King and Queen, Juju the snake, and her cat Lily. The secondary characters in the book reflect diversity of the city, with range of black and brown skin tones and representation of across ethnicities. VERDICT Purchase. This book is guaranteed to fly off the shelves among Disney princess aficionados everywhere." –Vi Ha, School Library Journal