I decided to read this book because it was sitting on my library shelf, and I wanted to see whether it would still be relevant or attractive to today's little girls. I'd actually never heard of it before, even though it's been around for ages! And I loved some of [a:Phyllis McGinley|62056|Phyllis McGinley|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1363243791p2/62056.jpg]'s other books when I was little, especially [b:A Wreath of Christmas Legends|6508672|A Wreath of Christmas Legends|Phyllis McGinley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309734512s/6508672.jpg|2296757].

My verdict? Though not a great book, this is charming, and will appeal to girls who enjoy old fashioned stories and fairy tales. I'd actually rate it somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but I'm following my usual review practice of rating high, rather than low.

A note: Personally, I loved the book design and illustrations -- but the cover, in particular, would look very old and unattractive to many modern children. I can think of several kids who would enjoy the story, though, if they could get past that. ( )

The king and queen have spoiled their child, a plain and mean-spirited pricess. A mother with a huge family promises that she can cure the princess of her plainness if they will let her take the princess away from the palace. The mother treats the princess like one of her own children, and through hard work and learning to care about others, the princess becomes beautiful, inside and out.

I remember reading this book as a kid and LOVING it. I felt at the time that it had the final word on what beauty really is. A real classic, feel-good book. This is one of those that should be back in print. New York Review Children's Collection take note, and librarians, don't let this be one of those books you throw away just because it's older. ( )