The Prince Who Wouldn't Be

Jean Free is a past judge of the Vicky Metcalf and Ruth Schwartz awards
for children’s

literature.

B.P. Krewen was born in England and now lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, where she works as a writer, poet, editor, and publisher. The illustrator of The Prince Who Wouldn’t Be is from the same city and works in a variety of media.

The Prince Who Wouldn’t Be is the trite story of Princess Althea, who is imprisoned by a powerful sorcerer, Medrakarne, in a tower with a dragon at the base. Prince Kendrick discovers her and, after a variety of adventures involving unicorns, dragons, magic pouches, and sorcerers, he manages to free Althea and they ride off into the sunset.

If you think you have heard this story before, you have. The Prince Who Wouldn’t Be is a boring book filled with trite conversation and events. The illustrations are uninspired and would have little appeal for the primary grade students for whom the book is written.

Surely the publishing world does not need another princess to be rescued by a prince in 1986! The $7.95 cost could better be spent on more worthwhile Canadian literature.

Not recommended.