DISNEY PRINCESS BEGINNINGS: Ariel

The newest book in the Disney Princess Beginnings series released today and the focus character is Ariel.

Ariel's sisters are some of my fave Disney characters and I have the original chapter book series featuring them, so I didn't love this book, because they changed the ages and personalities of the sisters from what I've known and loved for years.

I'm consulting Google with the original order, because my memory's a bit fuzzy on some and my books are behind some of my Disney Fairies dolls on my shelf, so they're not easily accessible, but the person who wrote them also knows the personalities from the book series, so I think they're accurate.

So original order: Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, Alana, Ariel.

Aquata was the leader and Andrina the sporty funny one. Arista is a bit difficult to describe. She loved seahorses in the book. She's maybe the sassy one? A bit bitchy? Attina is the bookworm and the smartest one (and my favorite). She's the most level-headed. Adella is the boy-crazy, vain one, but she's my second fave anyway. Heh. And Alana is the shy, sweet one who loves animals.

That's what I know and love. I know the third movie changed things, which is why, despite my owning it, I've never watched it. I'm guessing this book takes from that third movie instead of the earlier source material (mistake!).

The order in this book is: Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, Andrina, Ariel.

Attina is now the eldest and she seems to have a stick up her fin way more than Aquata ever did. Andrina is still the funny one, but now she's second youngest. Aquata went from leader to the athletic one. Arista seems a little bit the same, and Adella and Alana aren't characterized enough to really say.

I just hate what they turned Attina into. UGH.

Anyway, Ariel, Aquata and Andrina are caught in a rogue wave and have to find their way back home. Ariel summons up the courage to put forth her ideas, even though she's usually intimidated by her older sisters and their level of confidence. A lot of cute stuff happens and I'm just going to let you read it and find out!

I really do love this series and I'm excited for Jasmine, who's up next. It's not the fault of this particular book that Disney stupidly changed the ages and personalities of my beloved mersisters.

Disney Princess Beginnings: Cinderella and Belle

Disney Princess Beginnings is a new chapter book series for Disney lovers in the vein of the Disney Fairies series and previous princess series.

The books are written for a slightly younger crowd than both the previous series, but they're still plenty enjoyable for adult fans.

Cinderella's book has her participating in her town's puppet show to win a gold coin so she can buy a dress. She's having trouble with her designs and meets a local girl who works with her mother on a grumpy man's farm, taking care of his animals. She's hoping to use the prize coin to buy a goat, so she and her mother can eventually buy their own farm. Cinderella teams up with Val, offering space for Val to work in exchange for Val teaching her more about sewing and puppet construction. Both girls end up putting on a great show, but who will win and can that girl enjoy the prize when she knows how badly her friend wants to win?

The book is quite cute, but also bittersweet, because Cinderella's mother is a central character, and you see how happy their little family is. Knowing what's in store for Cinderella, it's a bit sad to read. I did rather like how they made Cinderella a nickname her parents gave her, not another instrument of abuse from her steps. Her real name, predictably, is Ella. It was a good way to work in the use of the recognizable name.

Belle's book was even better than Cinderella's, I think. Belle is having trouble fitting in when she's a young girl. The triplets from the movie and another little girl in Belle's class all have dolls, so Belle finally gets one, only to carve her ears into fairy's ears, paint her purple and attach some wings to her back. The other kids make fun of Belle's doll, but she still keeps bringing her to school anyway. Belle tries to fit in with her classmates and ends up going into an old bookshop everyone thought was abandoned. There she meets the owner and becomes enchanted with the shop and with reading, even more than she already was. But Belle soon learns the shop is going to be sold. Can she figure out a way to make the town fall in love with it like she has?

Belle's story was much easier for me to read than Cinderella's, because the family situation is already like it was in the movie. Her mother passed away when she was very little, so she isn't a presence. Also, I just really love Belle.

The illustrations in these books are absolutely gorgeous, as they always are in Disney chapter books. I'm very excited for future books and disappointed this is the only time we'll get multiple books at once! Ariel's comes out in July and she and two sisters end up swept out to sea by a huge wave. I can't wait to see which two sisters it is, because I'm a huge fan of the daughters of Triton.