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Using fiction to smash stereotypes 21/03/25
Sir Lilypad
A Tall Tale of a Small Frog
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
The dream team that brought us possibly the best princess picture book ever, The Worst Princess, are back with another fantastic fairy tale. Sir Lilypad (the brave and wise!) is better known as Little Tad to his froggy brothers, but in his head he's a slayer of dragonflies, a rescuer of fair maidens, an ogre's adversary. Determined to bring his ambitions to life he hops off on a quest to save a princess and prove himself a worthy knight, if a little slimy. The princess he eventually tracks down is a familiar face, and Sue has never needed any help controlling her dragon, but she's always ready to welcome a new member to merry gang; Sir Lilypad will get to be a hero after all!
Ogilvie's illustrations are glorious. Fantastic colours and perfectly captured characters compliment Kemp's perfectly paced hilarious text. The joyous rhyme echoes the Roald Dahl-esque vibe of The Worst Princess, and this is a worthy companion. It's brilliant to see Princess Sue again and Sir Lilypad is adorable. Faultless family fun.