Tired of reading endless fairy tales featuring blond, beautiful, perfect princesses, M. M. Kaye wrote a story about a princess whose fairy godmother gifted her with Ordinariness (after she had already received Wit, Health, Courage, etc.) Her six sisters all gorgeous, Princess Amy grew up to have mousy brown hair, freckles, a snub nose, and no suitors. She preferred climbing trees to attending Court, and walking barefoot to wearing stiff, itchy finery. Alarmed at the idea of a spinster princess, her parents contrived a wild scheme to get her married off. But Amy put on peasant's clothes and ran away to find her own kind of happiness. She's such a pleasant girl, and a nice contrast to the laughably pompous royalty. The Ordinary Princess is a really charming little book. Especially if you get tired of all the stereotypical princesses in other fairy tales.Rating: 3/5 112 pages, 1980
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Jenny's Books
I do get tired of stereotypical princesses. This sounds charming indeed :)
ReplyDeleteI read this a few years ago. It was a very refreshing to read of an ordinary Princess. I rather enjoyed it. ~ L
ReplyDeleteVery charming and refreshing, both. And nice once in a while to read a book you can get through in one brief sitting!
ReplyDeleteOh, you've read this! We had it when I was small, and I've always felt terribly fond of it. It's back in print but I hate the cover, so I'm still trying to get the same copy we used to have. Little Amy was so cute with her turned-up nose.
ReplyDeleteI read this as an adult, but I'm sure I would have loved it as a child, too!
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