The Runaway Princess - Hardcover

Coombs, Kate

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374355460 ISBN 13: 9780374355463

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2006

Synopsis

"A dragon darkens our dells. A witch haunts our woods. Bandits roam our moors" . . . King Stromgard swept on. "In the tradition of so many monarchs, I offer my daughter's hand in marriage and half my kingdom to the prince who can rid us of these evils, restoring peace and prosperity to our realm."

And so the contest in the Kingdom of Greeve begins. But Princess Margaret is not your traditional princess. Meg firmly objects to her parents' giving her away, and she certainly has no intention of remaining in the tower where she is sequestered. Instead, she sets out to win the contest herself by enlisting the help of her good friend, her loyal maid, an eager guardsman, a young wizard, and a tenacious witch. Does Meg find her distinct place in the kingdom, or is she doomed to fulfill her royal duties?

Kate Coombs weaves a magical tale full of pesky princes, enchanted frogs, a beady-eyed scarf, and invisibility juice – a tale of wonder, but a story familiar to all who struggle to find their own place in the world.

The Runaway Princess is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

About this title

About the Author

KATE COOMBS lives in Los Angeles, California. The Runaway Princess is her first novel for young readers.

Reviews

Grade 5-7–Princess Meg, 15, has a problem. Her father, the king of Greeve, has issued a proclamation offering her hand in marriage to any prince who can defeat a dragon, a witch, and a hoard of local bandits. The princess isnt thrilled with this plan. After all, the witch is harmless, the dragon defunct, and the bandits steal from the rich and give to the poor. Unfortunately, because she objects so strongly, she is immediately sequestered to the tower until the contest is over. Fortunately, Meg knows how to get out of a difficult situation, and its up to her to warn the witch, help the bandits, and take care of a relatively innocent young dragon before some of the less-than-honorable princes wreak havoc on the kingdom. Coombss good-natured tale is as comfortable poking fun at established fairy-tale tropes as it is honoring them. Readers will have no difficulty rooting for Meg, and the story as a whole is a pleasurable read with amusing details and witty twists. Pair this rousing adventure with Gail Carson Levines Ella Enchanted (HarperCollins, 1997).–Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In an attempt to replenish the treasury of Greve, King Stromgard offers his 15-year-old daughter Meg's hand in marriage to the prince who can rid the kingdom of a dragon, a witch, and some pesky bandits. The plan calls for Meg to be sequestered in a tower for the duration, a troublesome detail that she quickly circumvents with the help of several other palace teens. Together they rescue the dragon (a baby); warn the witch (receiving her help in return); meet a helpful young wizard; and discover that the bandits are really not as evil as everyone thinks. Coombs, who also wrote The Secret Keeper (2006), has created another strong heroine who eschews the trappings of her birth in the pursuit of truth, justice, and adventure. Reminiscent of Jean Ferris' Once upon a Marigold (2002) and M. M. Kaye's The Ordinary Princess (1984), this witty, humorous tale will be popular with fantasy buffs who enjoy takeoffs on fairy tales. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374355460
• ISBN 13: 9780374355463
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288