Arnica the Duck Princess
A whimsical tale of love and enchantment
Ervin Lázár author Anna Bentley translator Jacqueline Molnar illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Pushkin Children's Books
Published:28th Feb '19
Should be back in stock very soon
This charming children's story explores love and friendship as Princess Arnica and Poor Johnny face a whimsical curse, leading to a quest for help.
In Arnica the Duck Princess, readers are introduced to the enchanting tale of Princess Arnica, a kind-hearted soul whose smile has the power to tame the fiercest of beasts. Her gentle nature endears her to everyone in the kingdom, but her heart belongs solely to Poor Johnny, a young man equally smitten with her. Their love story seems destined for a happy ending, especially with Arnica's wise father, the king, supporting their union. However, their dreams take a whimsical turn when a malevolent witch casts a troublesome spell upon them.
The Witch with a Hundred Faces has woven a curse that binds Arnica and Johnny in an unusual predicament: one of them must always be in the form of a duck while the other remains human. This peculiar situation creates a series of humorous and heartfelt challenges as they navigate their love amidst the chaos of enchantment. The couple's determination to break the spell leads them on a quest filled with adventure and unexpected encounters.
To find a solution, they seek the help of the elusive Seven-headed Fairy, who may hold the key to their transformation. As the story unfolds, readers will be drawn into a world where love, friendship, and bravery triumph over adversity. Will Arnica and Johnny find a way to be together without the curse? Dive into Arnica the Duck Princess to discover their fate and the magic of true love.
"Charming and funny, a minor classic … Quirky and philosophical, this is a fabulous read-aloud for children ages 6-11." — Wall Street Journal
"Here’s something new and wonderful. Lázár (1936–2006) was a Hungarian national treasure. . . . Move over Princess Bride: Arnica is a worthy successor to Buttercup." — Susan Harari, Keefe Library, in Youth Services Book Review
"A quacking read... a wonderful, twisted fairytale, with gorgeous illustrations." -- The Times, Children’s Book of the Week
"Gorgeous illustrations! A beautiful Hungarian fairy tale... love, friendship and a wicked witch! Just brilliant!" -- Independent Book Reviews
"Ably translated from Hungarian into English, and uniquely enhanced with the original artwork of Jacqueline Molar, this delightfully entertaining retelling of an Hungarian folk tale by author Ervin Lazar is unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library collections." — Midwest Book Review
"Something rather special... [a] fairytale of love and friendship... perfect to read aloud or to share with new slightly more confident readers." -- Angels and Urchins
"A stunning fairytale about love, friendship and laughter, but Lázár also offers wise words about controlling one's anger, forgiveness and showing kindness... this is a magical tale to be enjoyed by readers young and old." -- Bluebird Reviews
"Jacqueline Molnár's eye-catching illustrations have a wonderful folk art quality to them which wonderfully complement the text... contains all the most important ingredients of a fairy tale: friendship, peril, humour and a touch of magic." -- Library Girl and Book Boy blog
"The style of writing is refreshingly modern and amusing… I have no way of knowing if this is the style of Ervin Lázár, capably translated by Anna Bentley, or if there is some magic happening in the translation… It’s really very charming [and] …the illustrations by Jacqueline Molnár turn out to be exactly what the book needs." -- Bookwitch blog
ISBN: 9781782692201
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
96 pages