Despite the king's concern that his daughters aren't spending enough time thinking about the princes they will one day wed, the little princesses aren't concerned as a helpful cobbler, pairs of perfect shoes, and a special ball begin to aim things in the right direction. Grade 1-4-In an athletic twist on "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," these nocturnal royal sisters are dancing around a basketball court (divided into two teams and two substitutes). It takes the clever cobbler to solve the mystery of their worn-out shoes and to come up with better footwear for these WNBA wanna-bes. "He designed a shoe/with a rubber sole,/and a high-topped edge/to stop ankle roll./He put arch supports/in the proper places,/and ditched pink ribbons/for sturdy laces." Finally, at a fancy dress ball, the princesses reveal their dribbling talents, which not only delight the king, but also inspire him to be their new referee. Bateman's verse uses wordplay and offers a fresh look at the beloved story. Cravath's cartoon pictures have just the right look, adding amusing anachronistic features such as an airplane advertising a big reward while men in tights and women in ball gowns frolic below. Pair this inventive story with any of the more traditional versions for a fun look at classic tales and their retreads. Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CT Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. K-Gr. 3. This retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" features a multicultural lineup of princesses whose idea of having a ball is shooting hoops. Knowing their dad would disapprove of their behavior, the girls sneak out at night to play, but their worn out shoes make the king suspicious. At the king's invitation, detectives invade the castle to solve the mystery of the tattered shoes, but a clever cobbler named Jack figures things out first: "It's clear to me that these shoes were worn out athletically." Instead of tattling on the princesses, Jack makes them some great high-tops and gives them some good advice: "Why not tell your dad? He should see you play!" So the girls stage their own "ball" and go public with their favorite pastime. The spirited rhyming text begs to be read aloud, and Cravath's animated illustrations depict the princesses' high jinks in single- and double-page pictures, which tell the story visually for prereaders. Kids will have fun comparing this fresh take with the original story. Lauren Peterson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "Bateman gives this retelling of the 12 dancing princesses a shot of girl-power..." -- Publishers Weekly, July 15, 2002 "Bateman's bouncing, bounding rhymes are as taut and economical as a lay-up..." -- The Horn Book, January/February 2003 "The spirited rhyming text begs to be read aloud." -- Booklist, November 1, 2002 Used Book in Good Condition