From the new Disney movie the Princess and the Frog, comes a young African-American girl growing up during the time of grandeur and charming elegance of the French Quarter. She's Disney's new princess and a no nonsense gal. Unfortunately, she has to venture as a frog princess to find herself and the true meaning of the success she quests for.

Princess Tiana is a positive role model for all young girls regardless of ethnic background. Big applause goes to Disney Studios and the award winning team of John Musker, Ron Clements, and music composer Randy Newman. More applause to Disney for digging back to their hand drawn roots and bringing us a movie that again shows us that dreams can come true.

Princess Tiana is quite a young lady. She’s not your typical damsel in distress Disney Princess. She's a hard-working dreamer and believes that any person who'll wait for the star to fall out of the sky to grant her wishes, is wasting their time. She's determined to work thereby making her own dreams come true. That's what makes this beautiful girl turned frog princess so different.

No Stopping This Princess

Throughout the movie Princess Tiana appears in three different forms. She appears as little girl, a grown up and of course as a frog. This is where the movie gets good. Though logical in her pursuit to fulfill her life's goals and her Daddy's dream, Tiana can't seem to see the forest for the trees. She doesn't realize what's happening along the way.

Tiana is determined to keep moving forward no matter what and her perseverance and focus is expressed in the song "Almost There." In this song, Tiana expresses to her mother Eudora the desire to open and transform an old rundown building into a beautiful happening restaurant (originally her father James dream before tragedy hit). She perseveres with her faith and the words of her father, who taught her the importance of always holding on to her dreams, but realizing too that it takes a bit of hard work to reach them.

What I truly love about her character is that she such a focused young lady. Tiana is on a mission to get her restaurant and everything else (i.e. men) can wait. Romance is not even thought of and she won't waste time with nothing that will distract her from working and building on her dream. Many adult women can take a lesson or two from Tiana.

Nonetheless, sometimes what we want is not what we need. Princess Tiana can't stand frogs - they're repulsive to her. She ironically meets Prince Naveen who has been tricked by the "Shadowman" and turned into a frog prince. In his attempt to be charming, but completely starting off on the wrong foot (just like a man...ha-ha!), he somehow convinces Tiana to kiss him. Unlike the result Tiana or Naveen expected, Tiana is turned into a frog and the adventure begins. How ironic for someone who hates frogs! I love the part when she's trying to resist her frog instincts and says, "I am not kissing a frog and eating a bug on the same day." I know what she means.