The Princess and the Pekinese

By Trisha Howell

A princess runs away from her familys new puppy and encounters hard lessons while lost on the streets. When she is returned home, her snobbishness is replaced by an appreciation of her blessings. This... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931210039
• ISBN13: 9781931210034
• Release Date: June 2003
• Publisher: Howell Canyon Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.5" x 0.3" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Once upon a time...

Once upon a time there was an exquisite little princess whose name was Lillian. She was born into a happy, loving family, was cherished by them, and grew up with every advantage. If anyone should have known the meaning of love, it was Princess Lillian. She had the best of everything and her life was perfect ? until the dog arrived.The dog, better known as the intruder, was a mischievous Pekinese puppy. It was noisy and boomeranged endlessly through the house. Princess Lillian did her best to avoid and ignore the puppy, but her family allowed it to sleep in a bed right next to hers and even fed it wonderful gourmet meals. She was jealous when they petted the puppy. She was jealous when they brushed the puppy. Princess Lillian no longer felt special, and she despised that puppy!As I started reading this book, I was delighted with this snobby little Princess, but I was absolutely blown away with the incredible surprise twist in the middle of the book.It began at a party that Princess Lillian had been invited to attend with her mother. Since the puppy was not invited, she had all her mother?s attention and she felt special once again. This feeling was short lived however, due to the surprise she encountered during the party. Shocked and angry, our little Princess fled the party and ran away into the night. Alas, she soon discovered that being alone on the streets at night is dangerous for a Princess. As the hours passed, she encountered an angry drunk and a vicious dog. Frightened and confused, she managed to run from them but her beautiful party clothes became rumpled and soiled. She was dirty and she stank. In fact, she began to resemble a street urchin more than a Princess. Soon she was overcome by hunger, but when she went into the Italian deli, the owner refused to serve her. Rejected by everyone, heartbroken and frightened, she wandered back out onto the streets, where she was finally picked up and thrown into jail.Princess Lillian was bewildered. How could this be happening to her? As she sat weeping in her cell, Princess Lillian began to understand how it felt to be ignored and shunned by everyone. Wait! Wasn?t that the same way she had treated the Pekinese puppy? Happily for us, our story ends well and Princess Lillian is reunited with her family. Her experiences during that long night brought an understanding of her blessings. When she began to appreciate her blessings, her behavior changed. Now, through her story, we all can see more clearly the blessings in our own lives.***** I can?t say enough good things about this book. I was delighted with the distinct personality of Princess Lillian, the twist in her story, and her many adventures and lessons. This book will not have to make you think?you just won?t be able to do anything else. It was fabulous! I loved it! I can?t wait for a sequel! *****Reviewed by Ruth Wilson.

an old-fashioned fable

This is a treasure on two levels -- the ordinary one which tells a simple yet compelling story -- & the other level about what pampering & privilege can do.Paul Lopez's illustrations are charmingly old-fashioned & beautifully enhance the story RebeccasReads recommends THE PRINCESS AND THE PEKINESE as a funny, interesting & exciting story for young children.

A Dog's Life

On the surface, this seems like both a classic case of sibling rivalry and the story of an obnoxiously spoiled little girl. But Lillian, a huggable Yorkshire terrier, only thinks she's human, and when her human parents, who look in Paul Lopez's vivid drawings like Lucy and Ricky Ricardo (indeed, Lillian does have some of that Lucy knack for getting into scrapes) take her to a party, Lillian discovers the truth about herself. She's a pampered pooch too! So what does every youngster with a new sibling and an identity crisis do? Lillian runs away from the party. Encounters with the seamier part of the outside world, such as scrounging for table scraps in garbage cans, give Lillian a new leash on life. She spends a night in pet prison (a.k.a. the dog pound) as miserable and unhappy with her fellow prisoners as any human, and gratefully goes home with her mother the next day, to a happy homecoming in which no one judges her and everyone loves her, including that rascally, goofy-faced Peke: "More than anyone else, the Pekinese seems ecstatic to see her. Rushing across the room, he kissed all over her dirty little face." What's a sister to do? The last line of the book is beautiful in its character development: "And for the first time-but not the last-Lillian kissed back."

Great read for children

The Princess and the Pekinese, by Trisha Adelena Howell, is a delightful children's picture book aimed at 4 to 8 year olds. It tells the tale of Princess Lillian who suddenly has to cope with a new situation when the family buys a Pekinese puppy. Lillian is thwarted by feelings of rejection and jealousy, and on the spur of the moment, runs away from her owners. Life on the street couldn't be further from the reality she was used to and, after trudging endlessly through the streets and having to scavenge for leftovers, she gets captured. Through her journey and experiences, Lillian comes to realise how lucky she was. The story is accompanied by excellent illustrations by Paul Lopez that effectively bring the story to life. The issues tackled are likely to strike a chord with others, and provide an added element to an enjoyable tale.

Enjoyable reading and a good lesson for children

Beautifully illustrated by Paul Lopez "The Princess and the Pekinese" is a delightful children's story. It is the story of a little girl who was the only focus of her parents' affection until a small Pekinese dog joined the family. As a result she becomes jealous and from there her adventure really begins. After a rough time on the streets she comes to realize and appreciate her blessings. This is a great children's story that has a positive message. As I read through it I quickly realized how positive this would be for children who suddenly have an additional brother or sister, grandparent, or pet come into their home and are feeling that they are not getting the attention they are used to receiving. It is a highly recommended children's book.