Customer Reviews

The Princess and the Three Knights

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A bestselling adult fiction author writing a book for children is nothing new. Neither is a princess story with a modern twist. But it's rare when the resulting picture book is actually worth the space it takes on your child's bookshelf, as Karen Kingsbury's The Princess and the Three Knights is.

The princess in this book is not unlike princesses found in traditional fairy tales. She's the fairest maiden in the land, and every man would love to marry her. But her father, the King, wants to make sure her husband is worthy - that he recognizes and cherishes the beauty within his daughter's heart. So the King stages a competition "to determine which knights possessed great courage and strength, deep loyalty and kindness, and most of all a deep faith in God."

Three knights make it through this tournament to the final, most important test. The King asks them to pretend the princess is riding with them on their horse. They are to then ride as fast and hard as they can toward a cliff. "We will see which of you can take the princess closest to the cliff without going over the edge," the King says.

The first two knights push away their fear and come shockingly close to the edge of the cliff. The third knight remains calm and whispers "I can do everything through God who gives me strength." But when the King asks him to perform the test, he says "Your majesty, I love the princess. She is more precious to me than anything in the kingdom...I wouldn't take her anywhere near that cliff."

"'That,' the king shouted, 'is the right answer!'"

"For the knight was brave and strong, loyal and kind. But most of all, his faith in God had taught him that true love always protects..."

Which ties in perfectly with the Bible verse quoted at the beginning of the book: "Love is patient, love is kind..." (1 Cor. 13:4, 7)

What I Like: Readable and offering a pointed message to young girls about what they should expect of their suitors, there's nothing to dislike in Kingsbury's text, and the illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard are gorgeous. Appropriately fairy tale like and romantic, they are also rich and vivid.

What I Dislike: My only complaint is that Grimard depicts the two knights who don't win the princess's hand as obvious villains. I'd rather see them at least as handsome as the knight who marries the King's daughter, since looks usually don't expose the beauty or ugliness of a person's heart.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Kristina Seleshanko, Managing Editor
Christian Children's Book Review

The Princess and the Three Knights by Karen Kingsbury and Gabrielle Grimard is a beautifully illustrated fairy tale that will quickly become a family favorite. First, here are Mia's feelings about the book: I like it, I like the whole thing. The artwork is wonderful and fantastic. I learned that love always protects. My favorite part in the whole book was the happily ever after, because the princess and her husband looked so happy. I definitely want to keep this book forever! It makes me feel happy, and I love the book! Now my thoughts: Grimard's illustrations are just gorgeous and perfectly capture the fairy tale feel with an extra dose of pink to thrill its feminine readers. Kingsbury writes in the voice of classic fairy tales giving the book a timeless appeal. Her message of love always protecting is an important one to emphasize to little girls, and she does it with Scripture and through example. It's a book that will please both parents and their daughters.

This Christian story by Karen Kingsbury shows what it means to be a real man: protective of those we love. The illustrations are bright and fresh. The princess is portrayed as a gorgeous teenager. Some of the images remind me of Trina Schart Hyman's work in The Kitchen Knight, as well as George and the Dragon, but without the shadows and emotional darkness. My youngest son appreciates this story, as does my oldest daughter who is 22 years old. My college professor friend also enjoyed it very much. Karen Kingsbury is an outstanding writer. Our family admires her miracle stories, with my five children enjoying her Miracles for Teens book, as did I. My younger boys and I love her Miracles: A 52-Week Devotional. They want to hear story after story.

Kingsbury has a gift for story-telling to both children and adults. Grimau's illustrations are bright and flowing, with great hair and clothing. This is an excellent story book for children and adults.

Here's a piece of what I had to say about this book at Ready Set Read Reviews...

When the king's lovely daughter matures to the age of marriage he finds that she has many prospective suitors. But as is always the case, there are more than not who see the princess as a prize to be had not for the sake of the pleasure their unity would spark but for the benefits it would allow. The king knows his precious daughter is beauteous but unlike many he recognizes her beauty is more than skin deep. Wanting nothing less than perfect for his little girl, the king sets out to find the one knight who is most likely to love the princess for who she is and not for what she looks like or what family she comes from.

It's a refreshing point of view to see coming from fairy tale styling. It's brilliant how Kingsbury has managed to string together a romantic fable written to this particular age bracket that not only shows the importance of including God in all your relationships but also shows little girls that true love, not beauty or status, thought both of these can be wonderful to have, should be the given priority.

The book begins with a verse from 1 Corinthians 13: 4, 7 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

The princess in the story is beautiful from the inside out. The king wishes to find a prince for his lovely daughter. This prince needs to be full of kindness and character. One who knows the true meaning of love. Three knights come to seek the hand of the princess. The knights must compete in tests and challenges to prove the eligibility of each man. The knights run races, clear trees, write essays and more. Until only the final competition remains... and the result shows the King and the Princess which man is worthy of her hand.

The Illustrations are absolutely beautiful! What a meaningful message to young girls. It's all about the heart!

Karen Kingsbury is a well known Christian author so I was excited to receive The Princess and the Three Knights. I have read her adult books so I was curious to see her view and style when writing children's literature.

I don't remember the last time I cried over a child's book but The Princess and the Three Knights brought tears to my eyes. This is a beautifully written and illustrated book. One that will be passed down from mother to daughter to grand-daughter and so on.

In simple, easy to understand terms Karen clearly expresses the love parents have for their children (only wanting the best), the desire God has to give us blessings and the fact that True Love is worth waiting and looking toward.

When the "right" Prince declares his love for the Princess my eyes teared up because as a parent I understood why the King chose him.

Basing her writing on the Bible verse of 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7 (widely known as the "love" chapter) Ms. Kingsbury describes to children what love does do....it is not boastful, prideful or self serving...it is loving, kind, forgiving, protecting, trustworthy, devoted and does not provoke or fail.

One of the reasons I fell in love with my husband was because he was strong. I felt safe and protected with him. I am not talking about Macho man, going to beat up people strong...but a different quieter, more humble strength where I knew that I would always come first.

It is a love worthy of a Princess and a love worth living for and thanking God for...and like the King in the book...the type of Prince I want for my daughters.

Bravo to Karen for expressing so eloquently what "true love" is meant to be.The Princess and the Three Knights

This book is visually appealing and nicely illustrated, but seems to be a somewhat weak imitation of The Princess and the Kiss, which is much stronger in it's message, and offers insightful reflections on virtue and vice. I would recommend Jennie Bishop's The Princess and the Kiss, which my daughters and all the little girls I have given it to have loved.

Karen Kingsbury not only writes life-changing fiction for adults, but for our children as well in the lovely tale entitled "The Princess and the Three Knights". With beautiful and intricate illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard the story just comes to life. The Princess is a beautiful girl on the outside, again as beautifully demonstrated through the illustrations, as she is on the inside. Her father the king is in search of a knight with a heart as beautiful as that of his daughter and so he arranges a competition to find such a knight. This competition will test the knight to ascertain if he has the right character qualities such as courage, strength and a deep faith in God. In the end the character of the right knight is shown and there is a happily ever after.
This story starts out with the scripture from 1 Cor.13:4,7 and really highlights the scriptural principle that "Love protects". I really appreciated the author's pointing out that the character and faith of the knight was the most important thing- really good lessons for little girls. As the mother of girls, I think this is important to drive home. I'm sure that you will enjoy reading this beautifull illustrated and well-written book to the special little girl(s) in your life.

This story is very sweet. I LOVE it! I read it to my daughter & she enjoys it. I also love the wonderful message. GREAT book!

When I checked this book out of the library & read it with my daughter, I knew it was a keeper. I bought one for our family and some more as gifts for some of her little friends and cousins. How to recognize a "prince" who truly loves you is good information to have, especially once you're in dating mode.