Review by Booklist Review
After a long night spent battling numerous monsters, the Princess in Black (PIB) is so exhausted she needs help. Enter the Goat Avenger, looking suspiciously like Duff, the goat boy. He subdues the latest fiend for her and recommends a vacation. She bicycles off for a seaside holiday, but soon encounters an enormous leviathan that tosses her onto a deserted island. Meanwhile, back at the goat pasture, the Goat Avenger hones his superhero skills by training a squirrel to assist him. The Hales' decision to alternate perspectives with each chapter interrupts the narrative flow a bit (especially for readers unfamiliar with these characters), but series fans will appreciate the development of the Duff/Goat Avenger's backstory. Pham's expressive artwork appears on almost every page, effectively breaking up the text for emerging readers, as well as helping them to visualize the story details. Particularly amusing are the paired illustrations that compare the Goat Avenger and Duff. Recommend the PIB series to Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson graduates looking for a new fix.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
The monster-fighting princess returns in two early chapter books. In Horde, the princess laughs off the threat of a pasture full of bunnies--until the cute, ravenous critters threaten to eat her. Vacation introduces new hero Goat Avenger and sends the overworked princess to take some time off. Both installments feature lighthearted illustrations and satisfying, funny adventures. [Review covers these titles: The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation and The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde.] (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
As the title suggests, the Princess in Black attempts to take a much-needed vacation.Worn down by constant monster alarms, Princess Magnolia, aka the Princess in Black, can hardly stay awake when fighting the furry, brightly colored monsters menacing her kingdomthis is seen in a funny fight sequence where her usual attacks have been replaced with such maneuvers as the sluggish swing and double dozy. Luckily, a new hero arrives: the Goat Avenger, who has the same height and smile as Duff the goat boy but couldnt be Duff. Duff did not wear a mask. Duffas the Goat Avengersuggests that the princess needs a vacation and offers to handle monster duty in her absence. Princess Magnolia hits the beach and runs into Princess Sneezewort before settling in for a napwhich is promptly interrupted by a giant rampaging sea monster! This nifty battle sequence alternates with scenes of Duff, who amps himself up for battling monsters, liberates a squirrel that has set off a false alarm, and is finally assisted by the squirrel in facing an acorn monster. The dual storylines keep the pace exciting, andeven though the protagonist is sleepythe art is energetic and charming. Princess Magnolia has fair skin, Duffs is a little bit darker, and the beachgoers are pleasingly diverse. As always, hilarious; perhaps the strongest Princess in Black outing since the first. (Fantasy. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
