The Princess and the Grain of Rice -- Fairy Tales in Different Cultures Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It has been a while since I have had a Fairy Tale in Different Cultures post and this one is a great story!! Today I get to share a Korean version of the Princess and the Pea. Tina Cho looked for stories about princesses who were like herself and her daughter. They didn't seem to be in the stories nor the movies. She decided to change that by writing her own. She picked her favorite fairy tale and changed it by adding some Korean culture and history. The book is The Princess and the Grain of Rice by Tina Cho and illustrated by Honee Jang. The book is recommended for ages 4 to 8, but I would say older kids may enjoy it as well especially if doing a unit on fairy tales or other cultures.

About the Book:

A sweet, funny Korean Princess and the Pea retelling, written by critically acclaimed Korean American author Tina Cho. A new classic in the making!

In the mountains of Joseon, Jeongsoon has a heart as gentle as jade, but she might just be the clumsiest girl in the kingdom. She wants to be a princess, so she enters the grand princess challenge where she must complete the Manners Test, the Wisdom Test, and finally—the Sleep Test. Throughout each examination, Jeongsoon is far from flawless but in staying true to herself, wins the favor of the queen and the competition itself.

Includes backmatter on the real-life Korean princesses of the Joseon period.

From Me:

I love this story!! It shares real Korean history and culture in a fun way. In this story Jeongsoon is a girl who dreams of being a princess. She wants to take care of her kingdom like she has read stories about Korean queens and princesses and all they have done in the past. Her opportunity comes when the prince needs a bride. The queen calls for the eligible maidens to come see if they can pass the three tests. Jeongsoon feels clumsy and cannot always remember which hand should go first or things like that. The other girls laugh at her and her wisdom answer, but the queen realizes what a treasure Jeongsoon is. She has one test to pass still which is the sleep test. They place a single grain of rice below 100 blankets and this is where Jeongsoon must sleep. After climbing to the top of the high pile of blankets she tries to settle in but cannot get comfortable. She then hears a squeak of a mouse who is eating the single grain of rice. She knows the mouse must be hungry and brings it to find it more food. The prince gives her a dried rice cake to feed the mouse and then Jeongsoon is able to sleep. She is picked to be the new princess and wed the prince. 

I love how Korean culture and history are woven throughout the story. At the end of the book the Author's Note shares why Tina wrote the book and then there are the facts about the real princess. The test were real and Jeongsoon's answers are the real answers of Lady Kim who eventually is named Queen Jeongsoon. Besides the real names and tests there are things like the Korean traditional dress, hanbok, and the various tests of drinking tea and more. In the notes at the end of the book it is also shared that mice and rats were considered wise animals and were respected in Korea. 

This book is a perfect addition to the array of fairy tales in different cultures. I love the story and how it takes the classic tale and introduces the Korean culture and history to the reader. For more resources on Korea be sure to check out these posts. There is also the Korean Cinderella story and Konji and Potji (another Korean Cinderella).