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Knights
Want dragons to fight or royal quests for glory? Look no further than these titles!
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Bently, Peter & Helen Oxenbury. (j PICTURE - Bently) Jack, Zack, and Caspar build a castle fort, then spend a day fighting dragons and beasts, but at day's end giants carry away first Sir Zack, then Caspar, and King Jack is left to face the night creatures alone. |
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Davey, Owen. (j PICTURE - Davey) This wordless book shows a young knight as he travels through dense forests, up steep mountains, into large squid- and serpent-filled seas, and past a three-headed dragon on his journey to bed. |
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DePaola, Tomie. (j PICTURE - DePaola) A knight who has never fought a dragon and an equally inexperienced dragon prepare to meet each other in battle. |
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Deeble, Jason. (j PICTURE - Deeble) After playing with his toy knights and castle, Ryan dons a saucepan helmet and embarks on an imaginary quest through the rooms of his house. |
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Hodges, Margaret. Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. Merlin and the Making of the King (j PZ 8.1 .H69 Me 2004) A retelling of four Arthurian legends, "The Sword in the Stone," "Excalibur," "The Lady of the Lake," and "The Last Great Battle," which feature Merlin, King Arthur, and other familiar figures. |
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Howard, Arthur. (j PICTURE - Howard) Despite the objections of his very serious parents, Prince Ernest longs to become a jester, and this helps him in an encounter with a three-headed dragon. |
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Mayer, Mercer. (j PICTURE - Mayer) A little boy imagines the adventures he would have if he lived a thousand years ago and was the squire of a bold knight who fought dragons and trolls. |
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Morris, Gerald. Illustrated by Aaron Renier. The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great (j FICTION - Morris) This is the first in a series of simple chapter books comically narrating tales of King Arthur's knights. |
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Thomas, Shelley Moore. Illustrated by Paul Meisel. (j PICTURE - Thomas) Three little dragons have agreed to take care of the old wizard's cats while he is away, but their inability to read his instructions causes problems until their friend, the Good Knight, saves the day. |
Princesses
Can't get enough of princesses? Here are tales of courage and adventure, both real fictional.
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Funke, Cornelia. Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. Translated by Anthea Bell. (j PICTURE - Funke) Envious of her brothers who are in training to become knights, young Violetta disguises herself as a boy in order to take part in the big jousting contest in the hopes of showing everyone that she is just as capable. |
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Heide, Florence Parry. Illustrated by Lane Smith. Princess Hyacinth: (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) (j PICTURE - Heide) Princess Hyacinth is bored and unhappy sitting in her palace every day because, unless she is weighed down by specially-made clothes, she will float away, but her days are made brighter when a kite-flying boy stops to say hello. |
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Isadora, Rachel. (j PZ8 .I84 Tw 2007) A retelling, set in Africa, of the story of twelve princesses who dance secretly all night long and how their secret is eventually discovered. |
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Fleischman, Paul. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella (j PZ8 .F5766 Gl 2007) The author draws from a variety of folk traditions to put together this version of Cinderella, including elements from Mexico, Iran, Korea, Russia, Appalachia, and more. |
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McClintock, Barbara. Illustrated by Charles Perrault. (j PZ8 .M17295 Cin 2005) Although mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella meets her prince with the help of her fairy godmother. |
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Munsch, Robert. Illustrated by Michael Martchenko Paper Bag Princess: The 25th Anniversary Edition (j PICTURE - Munsch) Princess Elizabeth, her castle and clothes having been destroyed, saves her kingdom and the prince from a fierce dragon. This anniversary edition includes the full story, as well as additional information on the author, the story, responses, and more. |
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Ray, Jane. (j PZ8 .R1874 App 2008) In a land that has stood barren, parched by drought and ravaged by frosts since the Queen's death, the King sets his three daughters the task of making the kingdom bloom again, and discovers that sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference. |
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Wilding, Valerie. Real Princesses: An Inside Look at Royal Life (j D839.66 .W55 2007) With dozens of photos, facts, stories and sidebars, readers can learn how to hold court from princesses past and current and around the world. |
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Yolen, Jane & Heidi E. Y. Stemple. Illustrated by Anne-Sophie Languetin. Not All Princesses Dress in Pink (j PICTURE - Yolen) Rhyming text affirms that girls can pursue their many interests, from playing sports to planting flowers in the dirt, without giving up their tiaras. |
