The Runaway Princess [Hardcover]

Kate Coombs (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

“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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

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.

From Booklist

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); First Edition edition (August 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374355460
• ISBN-13: 978-0374355463
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,073,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kate Coombs writes original fairy tales, poems, and middle grade fantasy novels. Her picture book, The Secret-Keeper, was a Parents Choice Recommended book and a Junior Library Guild pick for 2006. Her comic fantasy, The Runaway Princess, was an American Library Association Notable Book for 2007, was included in Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year (also for 2007), and was nominated to master lists in three states. The sequel, The Runaway Dragon, has been well reviewed by Kirkus, School Library Journal, Booklist, and the Horn Book Magazine. Look for her 2012 books, a retelling of a Grimms' fairy tale called Hans My Hedgehog and a collection of ocean poems, Water Sings Blue. After spending most of her life in Los Angeles, Kate recently moved to Utah, where she has to admit the mountains are really great. Kate has worked as a K-12 and college teacher and is currently an education editor for a small publisher. She also blogs about children's books at Book Aunt.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Favorite, September 19, 2006

By 

Linda Gerber "author" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Runaway Princess (Hardcover)

RUNAWAY PRINCESS isn't your grandma's fairy tale. The princess in the tower? Yeah. She has no intention of staying there. And all those witches, bandits and dragons? Misunderstood. Kate Coombs gives us a fresh take on the well-known fairy tale world with clever touches, endearing characters, and unique twists, all adding up to a delightful and entertaining read.

Following closely on the heels of Coombs' lovely debut book THE SECRET KEEPER, RUNAWAY PRINCESS does not disappoint. It's sure to become a favorite of discerning readers everywhere.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! You got to read this!, September 19, 2006

By 

A. Gerber "Kate fan" (Tokyo) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Runaway Princess (Hardcover)

This book was awsome! In my English class we had to pick a book for pleasure reading. I choose this one and believe me, it was PLEASURE reading. I couldn't put it down! The characters are so real and you find yourself rooting for them. This book is a clever twist on any fairy tale you've ever known. You'll find yourself laughing out loud and counting down the minutes till you can read it again. The twists, turns and halarious plot and characters make "The Runaway Princess" a must read!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Priceless Princess, August 12, 2006

By 

kc dyer "kc dyer" (Lions Bay, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Runaway Princess (Hardcover)

Kate Coombs has done it again! Once again this gifted author takes a fairy-tale world and stands it on its head. Princess Meg stands up to her father and the Kingdom of Greeve will never be the same again. All the ingredients for a delicious romp through a world of wicked witches and fantabulous frogs await those clever enough to pick up this story. A winner!