Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" is based on the classic story,
"The Frog Prince." Read the original story for free at Mrs. P's
Magical Library before seeing the movie. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures
Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" hits theaters nationwide this Friday -- and no doubt, children (especially girls) of all ages are anxious to gobble up the latest Disney fairy tale.
Like most of Disney's finest animated work, "The Princess and the Frog" is based on a classic fairy tale -- in this case, The Frog Prince.
Of course, Disney's version is a new twist on an old tale -- but kids would do well to appreciate the original story before heading to the movie theater.
Fortunately -- it's easy for kids to read the original story of The Frog Prince thanks to the fine folks at Mrs. P's Magical Library.
The safe and free website provides a virtual storytime -- with Mrs. P (portrayed by actress Kathy Kinney) reading classic stories, accompanied original illustrations. The website is completely free -- and provides the text of every story, so kids can read along. It's a great chance for kids to explore the world of reading in a safe environment (the site is ad-free, so kids won't stumble upon anything salacious) -- and it gives parents a chance to bond with their children over a shared experience.
Among Mrs. P's collection is The Frog Prince -- and to celebrate the release of 
Disney's "The Princess and the Frog," Mrs. P has made it super-easy to find the story on her site. Just click on the little frog at Mrs. P's feet for easy access to the original story. (See image, left, from MrsP.com).
In the original version by the Brothers Grimm, a princess drops her golden ball into a pond. She is devastated at the loss, but is happy to discover that a frog in the pond can retrieve it for her. But he's not willing to do it for free. His price? One kiss from the lovely princess. Of course, the princess isn't too happy about this (kissing frogs is pretty gross, after all) -- but all turns out well in the end, for after kissing the frog, he magically turns into a handsome prince. Turns out, he was under a spell all along.
Disney twists the story -- setting it in 1920s, Jazz-era New Orleans. In the Disney adaptation, the princess isn't actually a princess at all. Instead, Tiana is a simple girl who dreams of opening her own restaurant. Things go awry when she meets a charming, chatty frog -- who mistakes her for a princess and asks her for a kiss, in hopes of breaking a Voodoo curse placed upon him. (Yes, the frog really is a prince). But in this twist, the frog's kiss turns Tiana into a frog, as well. Together, they must track down the Voodoo man who cursed the prince in hopes of being restored to their former, human bodies.
In typical Disney fashion, "The Princess and the Frog" is fleshed out with a colorful cast of supporting characters and a lush score, complete with show-stopping musical numbers. This movie also mark's Disney's first full-length 2D hand-drawn animated film since 2004's "Home on the Range" and the company's first animated princess since 1992's "Aladdin." (Disney has marketed Giselle from "Enchanted," but that film was mostly live action.)
"The Princess and the Frog" is also a milestone for Disney: Princess Tiana is the company's first-ever African American princess. Already, merchandise for "The Princess and the Frog" is out-selling all other Disney princesses this holiday season. Princess Tiana has also made her debut at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida.
Meanwhile, Mrs. P is offering a bevy of other holiday treats for kids and their families:
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