The Enchanted Collection Box Set: Ella Enchanted, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Fairest [Paperback]

Gail Carson Levine (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 30, 2008 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Enchanted

Ella Enchanted

How can a fairy's
blessing be such a curse?

At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift—the "gift' of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse—once and for all.

In this incredible debut novel comes the richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who at birth was given the gift of obedience by a fairy. Ella soon realizes that this gift is little better than a curse, for how can she truly be herself if at anytime anyone can order her to hop on one foot, or cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom'and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's quest to break the curse once and for all and discover who she really is is as sharply funny as Catherine, Called Birdy and as richly poignant as Beauty, and has all the marks of a classic in the making.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre

When a plague strikes Bamarre, Princess Addie must save her sister.

Brave and adventureous, Princess Meryl dreams of fighting dragons and protecting the kingdom of Bamarre. Shy and fearful, Princess Addie is content to stay within the safety of the castle walls. The one thing that the sisters share is their unwavering love for each other.

The tables are turned, however, when the Gray Death leaves Meryl fatally ill. To save her sister, meek Princess Addie must find the courage to set out on a dangerous quest filled with dragons, unknown magic, and death itself. Time is running out, and the sisters' lives—and the future of the kingdom of Bamarre—hang in the balance.

Fairest

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted to be pretty . . .

Aza's singing is the fairest in all the land, and the most unusual. She can "throw"t her voice so it seems to come from anywhere. But singing is only one of the two qualities prized in the Kingdom of Ayortha. Aza doesn't possess the other: beauty. Not even close. She's hidden in the shadows in her parents' inn, but when she becomes lady-in-waiting to the new queen, she has to step into the light—especially when the queen demands a dangerous favor. A magic mirror, a charming prince, a jealous queen, palace intrigue, and an injured king twine into a maze that Aza must penetrate to save herself and her beloved kingdom.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gail Carson Levine thinks she can write poetry. Forgive her; the doctors say she’ll be sane again soon. She was born in New York City and shares a birthday with William Carlos Williams. Her first book for children, Ella Enchanted, won a Newbery Honor. Gail’s other books include A Tale of Two Castles; the New York Times bestsellers Ever and Fairest; Dave at Night, an ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults; The Wish; The Two Princesses of Bamarre; and the six Princess Tales books. She is also the author of the nonfiction book Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly and the picture books Betsy Who Cried Wolf! and Betsy Red Hoodie, both illustrated by Scott Nash. Gail and her husband, David, live in the Hudson Valley of New York State.

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 796 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061431001
• ISBN-13: 978-0061431005
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gail Carson Levine grew up in New York City and has been writing all her life. Her first book for children, Ella Enchanted, was a 1998 Newbery Honor Book. Levine's other books include Dave At Night, an ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults; The Wish; The Two Princesses of Bamarre; and her Princess Tales books: The Princess Test, The Fairy's Mistake, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, For Biddle's Sake and The Fairy's Return. She is also the author of the picture book Betsy Who Cried Wolf, illustrated by Scott Nash. Gail, her husband, David, and their Airedale, Baxter, live in a two-hundred-year-old farmhouse in the Hudson River Valley.

In Her Own Words..."I grew up in New York City. In elementary school I was a charter member of the Scribble Scrabble Club, and in high school my poems were published in an anthology of student poetry. I didn't want to be a writer. First I wanted to act and then I wanted to be a painter like my big sister. In college, I was a Philosophy major, and my prose style was very dry and dull! My interest in the theater led me to my first writing experience as an adult. My husband David wrote the music and lyrics and I wrote the book for a children's musical, Spacenapped that was produced by a neighborhood theater in Brooklyn.

"And my painting brought me to writing for children in earnest. I took a class in writing and illustrating children's books and found that I was much more interested in the writing than in the illustrating.

"Most of my job life has had to do with welfare, first helping people find work and then as an administrator. The earlier experience was more direct and satisfying, and I enjoy thinking that a bunch of people somewhere are doing better today than they might have done if not for me."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanted Collection December 5, 2012

By ddj7

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ella Enchanted, The Two Princesses of Bamarre and Fairest were a perfect set of books for the person I bought them for--my eleven-year-old sister. She absolutely loved them! The three books are very similar (as they are written by the same author); they each have a strong, engaging, endearing female lead. Even when I reread them, years after I first picked them up in the library as a child, I still fell in love with the heroines. Gail Carson Levine is skilled at drawing the audience into the story and making them feel invested in the characters and story. Each brave heroine in the three books has strengths to admire; Ella is clever and witty, Aza becomes confident in her own skin, and Addie is loyal and extremely loving. Each have a good, kind heart, and the courage to do what they believe is right. The reader is rooting for each till the end of story.
Even though my eleven-year-old sister is a tomboy and has hated princesses for most of her short life, she loved these books. They have just the right amount of action, suspense and sweetness for people of all ages and tastes to enjoy!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars These books are hilarious! March 11, 2009

By Lover of Books

Format:Paperback

I love these books..Ella Enchanted is very funny and a good read all around. Fairest is also another favorite of mine - this book is also very funny but there is also a moral included in the story about how you view yourself and how others view you...all three of these books are very well written and a lot of fun to read. I recommend for any age teenager on up!

3.0 out of 5 stars The books are wonderfully written and are among my favorites however there was a printing error. May 16, 2013

By E. Gardiner

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just wanted to say that I love the books. But I found that the copy of The Two Sisters of Bamarre was missing pages 119-134. I have read this story before and it is wonderful. I gave my little sister my hardcover copy and had bought this book set for some fun light reading while studying for my JD. The three stars is just for the printing mishap with the box set and not a comment on the books themselves.