Princess Justina Albertina likes getting her own way. Her nanny, when faced with a choice between a headache-inducing royal tantrum or giving in to the princess’s demands, always caves. So when the youngster insists on getting the perfect pet, her nanny does her best to oblige, scouring the Earth for unusual animals. None of them is quite right, though: the puffer fish ignores the princess, she cannot ride the two-headed dog, and the monkey scares too easily. Finally, the nanny returns with a fierce gryphon, which the princess declares is perfect. This time, however, Princess Justina Albertina has bitten off more than she can chew, with tragic results. The book’s cover hints at what is to come: while the princess dances in the background, a grim-faced nanny holds up a sign that reads, “A Cautionary Tale.” Humorous details pack the cartoon illustrations, which are done with a mix of watercolor, colored pencil, and gouache. The nanny’s outfit changes for each expedition: lederhosen for the unicorn, a wet suit for surfing Australia’s shark-infested waters. The princess is frankly repulsive, with buck teeth, a piggy nose, and fierce green eyes glaring through round glasses. Nanny and the rejected pets clearly find her intimidating. The busy spreads contrast well with the dramatic conclusion, in which the nanny is left standing all alone, saying “Oh, dear.” The end result is a deliciously satisfying tale about the dangers of acting like a spoiled princess.

Princess Justina Albertina is a high-maintenance girl who always likes to have her own way. Lucky for the Princess, her personal nanny is by her side completing her many demanding requests. With her arms crossed and a smirk on her face, Princess Justina Albertina announces that she wants a pet. The first pet she receives is a polka-dotted puffer fish, which is no fun because the Princess wants a pet that "notices her." In her second attempt, the nanny "roller-skated to town and bought a two-headed dog." But once again, the Princess is not satisfied. As her nanny continues to search around the world to find the perfect pet, Princess Justina Albertina always demands more. Finally, after searching the castles in the clouds in a hot air balloon, the nanny finds a gryphon--an animal with a lion's body with an eagle shaped head and sharp talons. Princess Justina Albertina finds him to be the exact pet she wanted--that is until the gryphon unexpectedly swallows the greedy princess in one gulp!

In a classroom of twenty-five kindergarteners, the room was completely silent as this story was read aloud. Many students commented that the Princess was very bossy and rude to her nanny. Readers found the ending to be a complete surprise, and many children thought it was quite funny! As one adult reader shared, "It's refreshing to see a not-so-nice princess who gets what's coming to her." The illustrations, done in watercolor with colored pencil and gouache, were very appealing to children--especially the expressions of Princess Justina Albertina.

Author Ellen Dee Davidson lives in Bayside, California and illustrator Michael Chesworth lives with his wife, two children, and three perfect pets in Amherst, Massachusetts.