Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill, illustrations by Iacop Bruno - ESSENTIAL

Barnhill, Kelly.  Iron Hearted Violet, illustrations by Iacopo Bruno.  424 pages.  Little, Brown and Company, 2012 (reprint).  $7.00.  

Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: PG. 

Princess Violet isn’t pretty, she’s plain.  It doesn’t bother her until her mother dies and she starts to think that she isn’t a proper princess.  Her father, the king, is out hunting for a dragon.  Violet stumbles across a book and a mirror with a story in a hidden room in the castle.  A story of the un-named 13^th god.  Violet learns his name was Nybbas.  The Nybbas promises her that if she does something for him, he will make her beautiful.  He will make her into a proper princess.  Violet agrees, only to find out that her feet are now to small and that no one should have that much hair on their head.  She tries to speak to her father, but he does not recognize her.  Violet is thrown into prison. 
Meanwhile, her best friend, Demetrius, begins to see that things around the castle are not right.  People are spending too much time looking into mirrors and saying horrible things about Princess Violet.  An enemy country is attacking and the castle itself is beginning to crack.  Is it too late to save his friend, himself, or the kingdom?  He is hit on the head with a shovel before he begins to see that all the answers are hidden inside himself, his best friend, and a heartless dragon. 

Flawless storytelling coupled with read emotions drive the plot off the pages of this book.  Violet’s emotional reaction to her mother’s death and blaming herself, feels real and poignant.  Her poor choices that follow her mother’s death, to her eventual realization that she can make a difference, is excellent character building.  The illustrations, maps, and chapter art help create the magical world of Violet and her kingdom.  Author Kelly Barnhill, turns the traditional princess archetype on its head to create a story and mythology that is unforgettable.    

EL, MS-ESSENTIAL.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.