Tumble Tower | A Best Picture Book Review
by tandemonimom
Messy Molly doesn't fit in with her too-tidy family ... until her messiness saves the day!
Princess Molly the Messy
Molly lives in the tallest tower where she can be as messy as she wants!
King Clement the Clean. Queen Nellie the Neat. Prince Thomas the Tidy. And ... Princess Molly the Messy, who doesn't quite fit in with her too-tidy royal relatives.
Her father the king calls her room the Den of Disorder, Sloppy City, and Tumble Tower, and says it is a disgrace to the kingdome. Her best friend Princess Lila, however, thinks it is wonderful and calls it Molly's Roomful of Riches. She begs for a sleepover whenever she can!
The royal cat and dog enjoy the clutter too, and choose to have their kittens and puppies in Molly's room.
Molly's family begins to think a little differently too, when the rising lake floods the lower floors of the castle and they must retreat upstairs and beg a place in Molly's room.
She gives her little brother her old pajamas to wear, feeds her hungry father her leftover lunch, and squeezes fresh orange juice from the tree growing outside her window where her orange seeds were tossed. They cozy up in Molly's messy bed, and she reads to them from her favorite storybooks, conveniently to hand underneath her pillows.
After everyone pitches in to clean up the castle (including Molly) after the flood waters recede, Molly finds the attitude of her family members has undergone a change. No longer are they angry at her for her messiness, and they stop berating her for leaving her things around.
And on occasion, they leave things a little less than perfectly tidy downstairs, just so Molly will feel more at home.
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Tumble Tower on eBay
About the Author and Illustrator
Anne Tyler and Mitra Modarressi
Tumble Tower author Anne Tyler is a well respected author of adult fiction, with more than twenty titles to her credit. Several of her books have been adapted for film, perhaps most notably The Accidental Tourist, which stars William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Geena Davis in the primary roles. Ms. Tyler has also had several short stories published in magazines such as The New Yorker, The Saturday Evening Post, Redbook, McCall's, and Harper's.
Ms. Tyler has penned one other children's picture book, Timothy Tugbottom Says No! Both Tumble Tower and Timothy Tugbottom were illustrated by Mitra Modarressi, Anne Tyler's daughter. Ms. Modarressi has also illustrated several other children's picture books, some written by other authors, and some books that she herself authored, in addition to the two she collaborated on with her mother.
Availability of Tumble Tower
Tumble Tower is out of print at the moment, but Amazon has new copies available from other vendors, as well as used copies for under $1.00, which is a pretty good deal for a great children's picture book!
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Do You Have a Messy Princess Who Would Enjoy This Beautiful Picture Book?
Nice book review and I enjoy the great selection of artistic products as well. Always appreciate a good childrens book review. I enjoy reading them myself as well as to the kids.
This does sound like a good book, Carma. As you know, other than myself, there are no messy princesses in my house.
Love the illustrations!
I have a Lila in my family who might like to come for a visit to this Tumble Tower. Sounds like a cute story.
I think my own Messy Princess would love this book. She is the right brained, nutty professor type who always creates huge messes with her creative endeavors.
Tumble Tower sounds like fun!