Review by Booklist Review
Myracle's riches-to-rags, modern retelling of A Little Princess paints a robust portrait of spoiled Penelope, who has been raised by her mother and reality-star godmother, Queenie Bee. After years of galivanting around the globe, Penelope finally gets to go to a boarding school, where she quickly learns her godmother's fame is getting her more attention than she anticipated, including from the wealth-aspiring headmistress. When her mother and godmother go missing on a treasure hunt, Penelope is plunged from the highest echelons of the school to the rat-filled basement, from which she emerges to clean up after her former classmates and carry out the whims of the mean headmistress. The narrative's pacing focuses primarily on the times of wealth for Penelope, and confident readers will enjoy the specificity of Penelope's privileged lifestyle and boarding school. However, Myracle struggles to balance the story as a whole, and the plot suffers at the expense of the splendor. This take on Burnett's beloved novel will nevertheless charm readers enamored with reimagined classics and stories of the rich and famous.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Nine-year-old Penelope Goodheart has traveled all around the world with her mother and her godmother, Queenie, the star of hit reality series Dream Big! (with Queenie Bee). Insisting she's ready for an adventure of her own, Penelope persuades her mother to enroll her in the Idlewild Academy for Girls, a school on an island near Savannah, Ga. There, charitable, optimistic, and warmhearted Penelope is hailed as a minor celebrity by her peers; she also often runs afoul of Idlewild's greedy, conniving headmistress, Mrs. Grimsley. But with Queenie's fortune at her disposal, Penelope believes she has everything she needs to set herself up for success. That is, until Queenie disappears along with Penelope's mother. Taking advantage of the pair's presumed deaths and citing Queenie's frozen assets, Mrs. Grimsley strips Penelope of all luxuries and forces her to live in a rat-infested, possibly haunted basement. Bubbly, bouncy omniscient narration relays this lively reimagining by Myracle (Night Owl) of A Little Princess. An intersectionally diverse cast, an earnestly rendered redemption arc, and snarky prose inject the source material's familiar plot beats with contemporary sensibilities. Ages 8--12. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (Aug.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--6--A charming riches-to-rags-to-true-riches tale that encourages young readers to consider what being wealthy means. Penelope, 11, who is loved beyond measure and can "see rainbows everywhere," has the wealth and life many kids dream of. Her godmother is a celebrity which allows her to travel around the world enjoying amazing adventures. But the one thing she wants most is something her lavish lifestyle cannot provide: to attend school and make real friends. With a bit of help from her godmother, she gets her wish and is enrolled at Idlewild Academy for Girls. But what happens when she loses everything that truly matters to her? Readers will enjoy Penelope's perspective, from her Pollyanna-like outlook to her witty wisdom. Her ability to find the good in each moment feels sincere, even as she faces off with a sinister (yet comically inept) headmistress. Fans of wordplay and the antics of characters like Amelia Bedelia and Pippi Longstocking will find a friend in Penelope. Myracle's writing keeps readers engaged in the plot with clever word choice and breaking the fourth wall. There is discussion of loss of a parent as well as abuse in the forms of neglect and verbal, which could be triggering for some readers. VERDICT A great read and intended take on A Little Princess that pushes readers to think about who they are, with or without all the riches life offers.--Jennifer Seebauer
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Review by Horn Book Review
Myracle reimagines Burnett's A Little Princess with a contemporary nine-year-old protagonist at a Savannah boarding school whose mother and celebrity godmother go missing. Sara Crewe's perspectives are effectively updated as reflections on privilege. Secrets about Penelope and family's past are revealed, making for scenes of emotional connection. Characterizations (particularly of the school's villainous headmistress) and plot twists add humor and excitement, and the engaging voice is well-pitched for intermediate readers. (c) Copyright 2025. 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
The latest from bestseller Myracle is a story of family, second chances, and being the self you want to be. Nine-year-old Penelope Goodheart has traveled the world with her single mother, Rose, and her godmother, Queenie Bee, a reality TV star. When her eyes are opened to the unfairness in how the "yummy goodness of the world" is distributed, Penelope decides she wants to start a school for children of all backgrounds, regardless of their ability to pay. But first, she'll need to fulfill her dream of attending a real school--and Idlewild Academy for Girls, near her mother's hometown of Savannah, Georgia, fits the bill. There, green-eyed Penelope, who has dark, curly hair, finds potential friends and frenemies among her racially diverse classmates. When Queenie and Rose go missing near Bora Bora, leaving Penelope "an orphan of the state," holding on to her true self becomes the key to her survival. After her mother's long-held secret is revealed, readers see the consequences of some decisions adults have made. The omniscient third-person narration uses child-friendly language, and the sprinkling of clues will have savvy readers feeling one step ahead of the characters in solving the mystery of Penelope's family. Strong descriptions of natural beauty enhance the sense of place. An accessible exploration of belonging and acceptance with a well-developed setting.(Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
