The New York Times Book Review - A. J. Jacobs
The audiobook is narrated by the actress and novelist Marisa Calin, who does a fantastic job. She has a British accent, which somehow makes all fairy tales 26 percent better. Her upbeat tone is well-suited to the book's jaunty style and amusing quests—such as the search for a magic lip balm needed for proper amphibian kissing.
Publishers Weekly - Audio
★ 06/05/2017
Filled with an assortment of talking animals, this quirky tale of a princess on a mission to save her family from her stepmother’s evil new husband is perfectly suited for the audio format. Princess Anya’s “stepstepfather,” Duke Rikard, is attempting to force her older sister, Morven, to marry a man of his choosing by turning all her other suitors into frogs. Anya sets off on a quest to find allies to help protect her family, accompanied by her sister’s most recent beau, Prince Denholm (currently a frog); her talking dog, Ardent; and a boy-turned-newt named Shrub. Anya’s adventure brings her into contact with all sorts of creatures. Actor Calin proves a thoroughly delightful storyteller in the audio edition of Nix’s tale: her enthusiastic reading coupled with her English accent enhances the fairy-tale aspect, but it’s her personable and light tone that carries the story. Calin also creates a cast of distinct character voices that maintain clarity through conversations. Ages 12–up. A Scholastic Press hardcover. (Mar.)
Publishers Weekly
11/14/2016
Princess Anya just wants to be left alone to study magic, but her feckless older sister, Morven, keeps falling madly in love with visiting princes—until their “evil stepstepfather,” Duke Rikard, transforms the suitors into frogs. Now Rikard is threatening to usurp the crown and send Anya off to a boarding school from which she’s unlikely to return. What’s a princess to do? In this rollicking comic fantasy from Old Kingdom creator Nix, Anya sets off on a quest to find allies and revert the transformed royals by assembling the ingredients for “Fairly Reliable Transmogrification Reversal Lip Balm,” accompanied by her sister’s most recent suitor, Prince Denholm (currently a frog); her faithful if overzealous dog, Ardent; and a boy-turned-newt named Shrub. Along the way, she’s dogged by Rikard’s weasel assassins and a series of journalists, all named Gerald the Herald, who constantly shout headlines like “The Frogkisser Sets Forth! Herald Detained by Druid Accomplice! More News to Come!” Well-developed characters, an unfailing sense of humor, and polished prose make Nix’s uproarious adventure a pleasure to read. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Grinberg Literary Management. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Frogkisser!:* "The characters are so enjoyable readers are sure to miss them when the quest (and book) ends . . . Nix takes inspiration from classics and improves on them . . . Great fun with heart." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Delightful fantasy . . . With wonderfully inventive creatures, challenging vocabulary, and a captivating story, this fantasy is recommended as a first purchase for YA collections." — School Library Journal, starred review"A delightful adventure stuffed with absurdity, magic, and a spirited young heroine. Beneath these entertaining trappings lies a heartfelt message of justice and fair treatment for all." — Booklist"A rollicking comic fantasy . . . Well-developed characters, an unfailing sense of humor, and polished prose make Nix's uproarious adventure a pleasure to read." — Publishers Weekly"Nix both pays homage to and smartly subverts familiar fairy-tale, folktale, and fantasy-genre tropes . . . . just as the comedy is deepened by thought-provoking questions, the sadness and sacrifice are perfectly balanced by warmth and loyal friendship." — Horn Book"Nix has stirred up an intoxicating brew in Frogkisser! . . . colorful adventures, full of fairytale familiarities seasoned with humor and twists . . . Readers will want a sequel." — Voice of Youth Advocates
School Library Journal
★ 01/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—Anya, a 13-year-old princess, loves nothing more than reading in her favorite chair. But after she makes a "sister promise" to her elder sibling to turn a frog back into a prince, she finds herself on a quest for a magic lip balm that sends her far from her beloved castle library. Along the way, she learns that wizards offer help but only when asked; witches like trickery, so it's better to strike a modest bargain with them; and giants are nearsighted, but their noses are so sensitive that they can smell lies. This delightful fantasy pits the small but mighty Anya against a sorcerer, Rikard, for control of the kingdom Trallonia. Nix grounds readers with practical asides, such as how to go to the bathroom without embarrassment when there is no toilet. He also has a gift for imaginative names, settings, dilemmas, and resolutions. Best of all, he invites readers to question the adult world along with his protagonist. Ardent, a talking royal dog, is as restless and uncertain as Anya, but he helps guide her. Not that she's asking for assistance: "I don't expect to need rescuing," she tells him once before a particularly dangerous separation. "I'm not that kind of princess." VERDICT With wonderfully inventive creatures, challenging vocabulary, and a captivating story, this fantasy is recommended as a first purchase for YA collections.—Georgia Christgau, Middle College High School, Long Island City, NY
MARCH 2017 - AudioFile
Narrator Marisa Calin has a marvelous way of interpreting this story’s characters—human, animal, and fantastical. Calin expresses Princess Anya’s conflicted emotions as she becomes a heroine. Anya’s unwillingness to be distracted from her studies is transplanted by horror at her evil stepfather’s plans to transform her sister’s suitor from a frog to a prince. Facing nonstop challenges, Anya embarks on a quest that brims with intriguing characters, many of whom have a fairy-tale familiarity. Calin enlivens each, beginning with Ardent, Anya’s faithful hound. Calin melds barking, panting, and speech to bring out the comedy of the overzealous, food-oriented dog. With similar tongue-in-cheek humor, Calin also takes on the booming voice of the giant, the brogue of the seven dwarfs, and gentle wisdom of Merlin. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-11-02
Princess Anya goes questing to fulfill a promise to her sister.When Princess Anya's stepstepfather, evil Duke Rikard, transforms her older sister's latest love into a frog, the self-possessed white royal promises to transform him back. Alas, the Transmorgification Reversal Lip Balm is depleted in kissing the wrong frog, and Anya is forced on a dual quest to escape death by Duke Rikard and gather supplies for more balm. The third-person narration chronicles the high jinks that ensue as Anya sets off with her faithful talking canine companion, Ardent, and the transformed prince. Anya and company fall in with various intriguing characters: Bert (short for Roberta), the strong, capable, dark-skinned leader of the Association of Responsible Robbers (think Robin Hood), who challenges Anya to examine her princess privilege; the powerful and also dark-skinned and female Good Wizard; and the Wizard's teacher, who's both Merlin and Snow White (just one way Nix cleverly and hilariously turns fairy-tale tropes upside-down); as well as the Seven Dwarves. The characters are so enjoyable readers are sure to miss them when the quest (and book) ends. Refreshingly, there's no romance plot here, and just as refreshingly, the two dark-skinned women are both beautiful and benevolent. Nix takes inspiration from classics and improves on them: he doesn't fall into negative tropes and masterfully infuses the weight of first recognizing one's privilege with humor. Great fun with heart. (Fantasy. 10 & up)
