The Princess Tales

In a land far, far away . . . A boy with magical powers to win Princess Charming's heart. A fairy who likes turning humans into toads. A true love forbidden by the King. A world of fairies and magic -- what could be more perfect than that? But is it perfect enough to help a simple farm boy marry a beautiful princess? And if an unruly fairy turns a maiden into a toad, how does she turn herself back? And can a fairy -- even a helpful one -- change a stubborn king's law? Welcome to a land where Princess Charming saves the day, the prince must kiss the toads, and nothing is as it seems! Now in one volume, three hilarious chances at happily-ever-after from the Newbery Honor author of Ella Enchanted: Cinderellis and the Glass Hill For Biddle's Sake The Fairy's Return

Once upon a time. . . A princess danced, a princess dreamed, another found a pea. One kissed a frog, one saved a bird, another crossed the sea. One ate an apple, one tamed a beast, one lost a satin shoe. And another spun straw into gold, in ten tales told anew! Ten of the most beloved princess stories are ingeniously retold and splendidly illustrated—with cleverly hidden pictures—by author Grace Maccarone and artist Gail de Marken. From Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty, The Princess and the Pea to Snow White, these favorite tales will delight readers, happily ever after.

Ever since Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine introduced the magical village of Snettering-on-Snoakes in the faraway Kingdom of Biddle, young readers have been laughing their way through her hilarious retellings of famous and not-so-famous fairy tales. Now, for the first time, the six beloved Princess Tales are together in one magnificent volume: The high jinks begin in The Fairy's Mistake, which pokes fun at a meddlesome fairy whose plans for good go terribly awry. In The Princess Test, the author spoofs the notion that a pea can prove a person's pedigree. Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep features a genius of a princess, a hundred years of snooze, two princes, and a flock of balding sheep! Cinderella is a boy in Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, and the glass slipper is a glass hill. In For Biddle's Sake, Parsley tries to forget her beloved prince and get used to life as a Biddlebum Toad. The road to happily-ever-after isn't easy when a baker's son and a princess fall in love in The Fairy's Return. Elements of the classics are woven into these not-so-typical retellings of "Toads and Diamonds," "The Princess and the Pea," "Sleeping Beauty," "The Princess on the Glass Hill," "Puddocky," and "The Golden Goose." The fresh and funny twists on favorite fairy tales will win the hearts and capture the imaginations of young readers everywhere.

In this humorous retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Princess and the Pea," Lorelei must pass many difficult tests in order to prove that she is a true princess and win the hand of Prince Nicholas.

Once upon a time... A kind sister and a cruel one. A charming prince. A spiteful fairy. A hundred-year snooze. A pea under a pile of mattresses. A kiss. All the familiar ingredients, but why is the punished sister happy? Where did that extra prince come from, and what does a flock of balding sheep or a fleck of tuna in a chocolate cake have to do with anything? Gail Carson Levine has waved her magic wand over three well-known fairy tales, and presto! They are transformed -- and sparklingly funny-in these delightful retellings: The Fairy's Mistake The Princess Test Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep Happily ever after has never been so hilarious!

In this humorous retelling of a Perrault tale, the fairy Ethelinda rewards one twin sister for good behavior and punishes the other for bad, only to discover that her punishment is more pleasing than her reward.

A spiteful fairy. A beautiful princess. An outstretched finger. A spindle. A hundred-year snooze. A charming prince. A kiss. All the familiar ingredients. But wait! Where did that extra prince come from? And those fairy gifts that were never there before? And what does a flock of balding sheep have to do with anything? Gail Carson Levine has waved her magic wand over the old standby of "Sleeping Beauty" and presto! It reappears, transformed, sparkling and hilarious. Chuckles and giggles are guaranteed.

There she was, chartreuse and warty and smiling at him. Such a nice smile. Something in his heart fluttered. The young maiden, Parsley, will eat nothing but parsley, which in Snettering-on-Snoakes grows only in the fairy Bombina's garden. All is well -- until Bombina is released from the fairy queen's dungeon. Her crime? Failing to get along with humans. And turning them into toads! Meanwhile, twin princes Randolph and Rudolph are causing trouble at Biddle Castle and pinning everything on their younger brother, Tansy. Prince Tansy cares about Biddle. Randolph and Rudolph don't. But one of the twins will be king, unless Prince Tansy accepts help from a green Biddlebum Toad! A delightful retelling of the little-known German fairy tale "Puddocky," this fifth Princess Tale from Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shows that nothing is quite as it seems and that anything is possible, with a dash of magic and a barrel of love.