A young princess sat on a rock pleasantly eating her cookies. She pulled each one from a small princess lunch pale and delicately bit into each one before smiling as though she were being filmed for a commercial and they were the best cookies she’d ever tasted. There is no reason to say they weren’t, they looked delicious.
While this young princess in her pretty purple tutu sat eating her dainty cookies a small amphibian of sorts leapt upon her lunch pail.
The young girl’s mouth flew open as a scream escaped her lips. As this happened, a cookie flew from her hand and landed in a nearby bush. She immediately stood up without much grace or composure and began looking for the lost cookie. They must have been the best she’d ever tasted to not let a single one of them go to waste.
She crawled on her hands and knees searching for the little lost morsel and when it was finally found she brushed it off and smiled as though nothing had happened. The cookie seemed as good as new and she lifted it to take the first bite.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the frog croaked. It was actually a rather distinguished croak. As if this were an English frog instead of one residing in the marshes of Australia where the princess lived.
The princess paused, the cookie halfway there. She looked back at the little green thing still perched on her pail. “And why shouldn’t I?” she asked.
The frog blinked though she could hardly see it. She though it looked so peculiar sitting there and staring at her. It eyes bulging off the top of its head and almost gawking.
“That cookie has fallen into a bush. It can no longer be eaten.” The frog sounded absolutely insistent.
“But I like these cookies, and nothing seems to be wrong with this one,” she said gesturing toward the cookies that was still only inches from her mouth.
“Well you see,” the frog continued. “I don’t much care for people who eat food off the ground.”
“Why should it matter to you?” The princess was growing impatient. This frog had disrupted her excellent afternoon and soiled one of her precious cookies. Besides, nothing was wrong with it now.
“If you’re going to kiss me, I rather you didn’t eat food that has fallen on the ground.” The frog continued to stare but now seemed to be growing a bit uncomfortable for some reason.
“I don’t see why it should matter if I kiss you after eating this cookie. It’s clean now. See?” She held the cookie to the frog and all he did was look the other way.
“Curious.” That was all the frog could say.
“What is?”
“Most princesses are severely startled when I mention the kiss. Many of them run away screaming.”
“And what’s curious about that?” The princess had contorted her face into a questioning annoyance.
“You my sweet, are not running.”
“It’s not very ladylike to run in a dress.”
“But are you not frightened because I’m green and amphibious?” The frog glanced once again to the side, as though he were confused and uncomfortable again.
“Oh I was at first, but you seem so distinguished and proper. I have no need to fear you.” The princess was growing disinterested. Conversations like these were so tiresome.
“You are not afraid of kissing me?” The frog had almost grown hopeful.
“Oh of course not!” She exclaimed with a sweet, musical laugh.
The frog let out a joyful ribbit. “I have finally found my princess!”
“You have?” the princess asked.
In a few quick bouncing strides the frog was directly seated in front of the princess. “Yes, my sweet, you may kiss me now.”
The princess let out another giggle. “You are quite silly my frog. I am much too young for kissing. I am only ten.”
The frogs face fell, his last chance was flitting away before his eyes. “In frog years I am ten as well,” he said in a moment of desperation.
“Perfect! We must be friends now,” the princess gleefully responded.
The frog let out a deep sigh. He was almost resigned to accept his fate forever. “Princess?”
“Yes, my frog?”
“Why will you not kiss me?”
The princess laughed. “Oh my sweet frog, I simply cannot kiss you yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because you will be too old for me when you become a prince and you will still have to wait for me to grow up before you can marry me.”
The frog tilted his head and blinked. “Who said anything about marriage.”
“Oh, my frog your are so silly. Didn’t you know that’s how it works?”
He looked at the young princess before him. She smiled and waited for him to answer. How could he have never realized it before? Of course that’s the reason he had become a frog in the first place! The other princesses were much to shallow to realize this.
The frog looked into the eyes of this princess and saw a beautiful young girl who would soon turn into an even more beautiful woman. It was obvious she adored him. Her blue eyes gazed at his.
He took another bouncing stride onto the princess’s lap. She laughed that beautiful laugh of hers. He quietly whispered to himself, “Yes, I have found my princess. I will wait for you.”
The princess held out her hand and the frog leapt on. “Come my frog, we have cookies to share.”
Heist Society by Ally Carter was such a pleasant surprise. Naturally I don't buy a book that I'm not interested in and therefore thought this book would at least be decent. However, I really liked it. Ally Cater does a fantastic job of showing her characters and story. She doesn't waste times explaining everything and lets you discover the story as her characters do. You also come to know the characters through the things that they do, think, and speculate. The characters in this book have distinct voices that you come to know through snappy, witty dialogue. I was never confused about who was speaking. (An art I feared may be lost from young adult fiction forever...) The little love story involved is quite excellent as well. This book is mostly centered around suspense, and therefore the love story is secondary, but worth reading. These characters are fantastic because they feel so human!