Emma and Eadric have no sooner turned back into humans (from being frogs) than Emma's mother is in a panic, Aunt Grassina is distracted because she's found her true love turned into an otter, and Emma's magic is so out of control she sends herself to the dungeon by mistake. The neighboring kingdom has chosen this moment to attack, and if Emma can't get Grassina's mind back on protecting the kingdom, life as they know it in Greater Greensward will be in peril. From underwater sea monsters to fire-breathing dragons, this witty pair of young friends manages to sweet-talk, cajole, and race their way to victory. But when it looks as if everything will finally work out, disaster strikes, and Emma finds that magic is not enough-it takes real bravery and a strong, new friendship to succeed.

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Princess Emeralda a.k.a. Emma isn't exactly an ideal princess. Her laugh is more like a donkey's bray than tinkling bells, she trips over her own feet and she does not like Prince Jorge, whom her mother hopes she will marry. But if Emma ever thought to escape her troubles, she never expected it to happen by turning into a frog! When convinced to kiss a frog so he might return to being a prince, somehow the spell is reversed and Emma turns into a frog herself! Thus begins their adventure-a quest to return to human form.

Fascinating and hilarious characters ranging from a self-conscious but friendly bat to a surprisingly loyal snake and a wise green witch confirm that readers won't soon forget this madcap story.

**

When Emma and her beloved frog-turned-prince Eadric travel to Upper Montevista to ask for Eadric's parents' blessing on their marriage, they find his homeland in chaos: Eadric's annoying little brother Bradston has been kidnapped by trolls! Worse, his mother won't let Emma use magic, even to rescue Bradston, and Eadric seems suddenly a bit too fond of the girls from his past. But as they travel through unfriendly lands, battle sea-monsters and vampires, and find allies in unlikely places, Emma just might come to see her Eadric for the strong and loyal young man that he is.

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Many years ago a slighted fairy placed a curse on a beautiful young princess—a curse that caused her and all her female descendants to turn into mean, ugly witches if they ever touched a flower after turning sixteen. Now, Princess Emma, who is about to turn sixteen herself, is determined to break the spell once and for all. Emma travels back in time to the day the curse was placed on her ancestor in the hope of preventing the curse from being cast. Unfortunately she isn't successful in her efforts, but she does learn how to break it. Armed with this knowledge, Emma returns to her own time full of hope. But disaster ensues and Emma is about to give up completely—until true love shows itself in the most unexpected place of all.

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From Publishers Weekly

This spring, two Roald Dahl classics reappear in collector's editions. In Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, illus. in full color by Quentin Blake, originally published in 1982, the author puts his distinctive satirical spin on six traditional tales including "Snow White" ("From now on, Queen, you're Number Two. Snow White is prettier than you!" says the Magic Mirror) and "The Three Little Pigs." Danny the Champion of the World, originally published in 1975, also illus. with pen-and-ink drawings by Blake, tells the story of a nine-year-old boy learning the art of poaching at his beloved father's knee (the BFG also makes an appearance here). Both volumes close with an interview given by the author in 1988, two years before his death.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Verses featuring mayhem, greed, betrayals and murder, from two gifted collaborators. ("Publishers Weekly") A sophisticated spoof. ("The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books")