School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Little Prince Freddie has to go. He and his trusty steed, Sir Rushington, are on a quest to save Castle Crumbly, but it's no use. Freddie has to pee. The two stop at some handy boulders that offer some privacy, but an ogre pops out. Next they spot a tower he can go behind, but a princess awaiting rescue sticks her head out. Even a tree is no help, as the Big Bad Wolf, Puss in Boots, and the Seven Dwarfs are already in line. The solution? Blasting past the dragon at Castle Crumbly, thwarting the foe, and finding relief in the process. Readers who are familiar with long car rides will enjoy yelling along with the little prince's increasingly frantic declarations that he cant wait any longer, and the appearance of the various fairy tale characters adds whimsy. Adding to the fun are the lush, detailed acrylic illustrations of the stop-and-start voyage. While the prose here isn't stellar, and the ending is a little flat, this is an attractive, entertaining option for picture book shelves. VERDICT A fun and fanciful foray into potty humor, without being totally gross. An additional purchase.-Henrietta Verma, Credo Reference, Jackson Heights, NY © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
When Prince Freddie learns about a dragon attack, he rushes to save the day...until he realizes he needs to pee. Each time he stops to relieve himself, he's interrupted by ogres, a princess in need, and other princely conundrums. The ridiculous plot, bathroom humor, and slapstick acrylic illustrations will have children in stitches, and repetition in the text works well for storytime. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Laugh-out-loud potty humor.Gormley's story mines fairy-tale tropes as well as toilet humor to deliver laughs. It opens with Prince Freddie on holiday, sunbathing and drinking lemonade. His talking horse, Sir Rushington, interrupts his vacation to tell the prince a dragon is laying siege to Castle Crumbly. After Freddie "gulp[s] down the very last drop of his lemonade," they're off! Alas, the horse's "Up and down. Up and down. Up and down" trot, not to mention the bodies of water, a waterfall, and rain that Mould illustrates in his uproarious acrylic illustrations, soon make the armor-clad Freddie painfully aware of his full bladder. Repeated pit stops for him to relieve himself are interrupted by a terrifying ogre, a princess in a tower ("How very awkward," sympathizes Sir Rushington), and a very long bathroom line formed by the Big Bad Wolf, Puss in Boots, and the Seven Dwarfs. (Adult female caregivers will note the irony that every single person in this line is implied male.) When they finally arrive at Castle Crumbly, Prince Freddie is so desperate that he plows right by the dragon, who sets the castle ablaze. Luckily, Prince Freddie eschews the throne room and stands atop a turret instead, well-positioned to douse the flames below: "And suddenly there was an almighty sizzle." Freddie and all other humanoids save the green ogre are white.Hap-pee-ly-ever-after reading fun. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
When they hear it aloud, young listeners might think that this clever title refers to a sleepless prince and a small vegetable, but Prince Freddie desperately needs to urinate and faces several barriers. As he and his trusty steed, Mr. Rushington, hasten to save a castle from a terrible dragon, Freddie realizes he has to go. Each attempt at peeing along the way is thwarted an ogre, a damsel in distress, and a line of fairy-tale characters all prevent him from reaching a lone forest outhouse. At the castle, Freddie rushes the dragon, not to challenge her but to go relieve himself. The impressed dragon accidentally sets a fire . . . which Freddie promptly douses. On the return trip, it is Mr. Rushington who suddenly has an urgent need. The setup is outlandish, but most people will totally relate, and the zaniness is balanced by a more subtle humor in both the text and appealing comic illustrations. Confirm a restroom is close before sharing.--Randall Enos Copyright 2018 Booklist
