Katie and the Troll Queen

One morning, a little girl named Katie goes off into the woods to pick berries for that evening’s dessert, but it isn’t long before she comes face-to-face with a creature she had only ever heard fairy stories about before: the Troll Queen! The Troll Queen challenges Katie to a contest, a singing contest. Katie, who loves to sing, warily accepts, realizing that this is likely the same sort of contest her own mama once faced, the results of which led to the end of her singing. Katie decides to sing the solo she has been learning for an upcoming concert. Will it be enough to win the contest?

Author Grandma Nor’s picture book Katie and the Troll Queen is geared toward small children who are interested in fairy tales. The story itself is quite lengthy, with only a limited amount of pictures, so it might not hold the attention of really young children, but four- and five-year-olds and older will be able to sit through the entire book. The story itself is clever and will certainly appeal to many, with a spunky main character who is willing to face her fears and out-sing the Troll Queen. The author points out on the back cover that she’s not a native English speaker, and it definitely shows; strangely-worded phrases, improper verb tenses, and misplaced punctuation make the story more than a little hard to properly read aloud, and it’s clear that the book could benefit from the services of a copy editor. Sporadic illustrations by Jan Michael Vincent Sy are colorful and help to tell the story, giving kids a visual for the Troll Queen’s strange appearance. Overall, this book could use a little work, but it’s a cute story that many readers will enjoy.