Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
4 stars
A fun retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Happy the dog tells the tale of Reverend Knight and his twelve sons. By day, they live a normal life in Harlem, but something strange happens at night. Every morning, the boys’ shoes are worn down and filthy. Countless nannies and housekeepers have tried to solve the nighttime mystery, but none have prevailed. Until the arrival of a mysterious woman named Sunday. She gets the boys cleaning the house and is a fantastic cook. She’s also got a few tricks up her sleeve.
A fun and entertaining read. I really enjoyed the spin on the classic fairy tale. The dog as the narrator was also a really fun touch (though he did deserve his own happily ever after).
Loved the themes of honesty and acceptance and how the characters connected with one another.
Wonderful illustrations. So expressive. The artwork really brought the dance sequences to life.
A great read filled with family, dance, and a little bit of magic.