Book Review: The Kingdom That Never Existed

Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

A surprising story about friendship, an evil frog, and the last mosquito on earth

The Kingdom That Never Existed is a classic princess-on-a-mission story with an unusual twist. Supercharged with fun rhymes, this book follows two girls on a quest to save the last mosquito on Earth.

When we open this story, Julia is living her everyday whimsical life in a magical kingdom, but then her father gifts her a most precious gift—the last mosquito in the world—and everything changes. It is a gift that she doesn’t expect but gladly accepts. Not only does she cherish the mosquito, she’s also enticed by the promise her dad makes. He tells her that if she can keep this precious gift safe, he’ll know that he can trust her. And he’ll buy her anything she wants!

With a unicorn on the brain, the princess attempts to keep this little bug safe, but evil is lurking around the corner in the form of an evil mosquito-killing frog. Princess Julia and her best friend Jessi set off to save their stolen mosquito keep it safe.

Luckily, the girls are up to the challenge. These nobles aren’t just sitting around waiting on other people to solve their problems. No army is sent out to retrieve the princess’s lost pet. The two girls team up and start to investigate this mystery, climbing trees, fighting off bad guys, and doing their best.

Their friendship is a true highlight in this story, as it exemplifies the power of working together to accomplish a common goal. Jessi, who is a very smart monkey, is the best counterpart to Princess Julia. Her intellect is always moving them forward to their goal, and she continues to be a great friend.

Stonecastle’s storytelling keeps things light, even in the tensest situations. You’ll be reading this cutely rhyming book with a smile on your face, I’m sure of it. I never thought I’d feel so invested in the wellbeing of a mosquito and an evil frog.

The villain, Queen Warticia Frogpee, is as evil as they come and also quite fashionably dressed. She mimics the evil queen from Snow White in some ways, while still showcasing her own unique evil abilities. The parallels to the story will feel familiar to readers, but the fun illustrations keep things light and not too scary, unlike how the evil queen can feel in Snow White. Sometimes the rhyming takes us to some unexpected, kind of random places, but we always return back to the story in the end.

The Kingdom That Never Existed is a great book for young readers who appreciate the silliness of the world as much as the power of friendship.

Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of The Kingdom That Never Existed by Alicia Stonecastle! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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