Frogkisser! by Garth Nix is a funny, reworking of the classic fairy tale, The Princess and the Frog. In this version, Princess Anya, who, with her loyal dog must embark on a quest to acquire the ingredients for a special lip balm, one that enables it’s user to change transformed beings back to their original form, along the way, she also decides to save the whole kingdom from her wicked sorcerer of a stepfather. As she and Ardent travel along, they also acquire companions that are in need of the wondrous lip balm, Shrub, a young thief that has been turned into a newt, and Smoothie, a River Otter who has been transformed into a half-human.

I was both amused and charmed by this YA story and fell in love with these characters. Of course I couldn’t help but love Ardent the dog the most, he is wonderfully portrayed and livens up any scene that he was in. It was obvious that the author enjoyed the writing of this story, pulling tidbits from many different fairy tales and adding some marvellous items such as the Wallet of Crunchings and Munchings and the intriguing flying carpet with the unpronounceable name of Pathadwanimithochozkal.

While I was always aware that I was reading a YA story and I felt that it was a little too long, Frogkisser! is well worth the read. A good story with well developed characters – some to root for and some to boo. It had me wishing that I could read this aloud to a group of youngsters just to see their reactions. ( )

Sadly, I found it to be very slow-moving and a little heavy-handed at times. (It took me forever to get through it because I kept losing interest.) I can see the appeal for others though. ( )

A highly amusing fairy-tale filled romp, with the same light-hearted adventure that Nix brought to Newt's Emerald. Princess Anya, with the weight of promises on her shoulders and a quest to make transmogrification-reversing lip balm is pursued by headline spewing Heralds and her evil stepstepfather. It sounds pretty silly. It is pretty silly, but there are deeper matters to consider when you are a princess on a quest, even when you think your choices don't matter. Heart, adventure, crazy carpet-riding shenanigans and a whole host of transmogrified heroes. Great fun!

Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss. ( )

This middle-grade/YA fantasy was my first exposure to author Garth Nix. Read my full review here. ( )

Funny and very genre aware fantasy story. Flying carpet was hilarious. ( )