Happily Ever After

by Anna Quindlen, James Stevenson (Illustrator)

Kate, having been magically carried away into the land of fairy tales, finds things to be much less enjoyable than she had thought, finding herself uncomfortable with the clothes she wears, uninterested in the prince's songs, and unfamiliar with her new chores.

Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Middle Grade, Magic

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Anna Marie Quindlen is an American author, journalist, and opinion columnist.
Her New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992. She began her journalism career in 1974 as a reporter for the New York Post. Between 1977 and 1994 she held several posts at The New York Times. Her semi-autobiographical novel One True Thing (1994) served as the basis for the 1998 film starring Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kate discovers that her baseball mitt grants wishes when she is turned into a princess. There are some adventures involving dragons and witches, but I mostly enjoyed how she taught all the womenfolk of the castle to play baseball: the knights get to watch as the Ladies-in-Waiting take on the Serving Maids. This would be a fine, female-centric story for young girls, though I found it pretty forgettable.

[Crys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quindlen's tomboy character Kate dives into the world of fairy tales in this adorable fractured tale.

Kate is in fourth grade and loves baseball. One day Aunt Mary gives her a baseball glove, but it is no ordinary glove. It is magical, and it will grant its wearer a wish.

Kate wishes to be a part of the fairytale world as a princess, but when she finds that she needs rescue, there is only one person she can count on: herself! As a matter of fact, Kate would prefer the company of the dark witch of the forest that has just kidnapped her than the prince who left here there.

Quindlen tackles the fairytale world in a new way with a heroine who refuses to sit back and let the prince take all the credit for what she can do herself, even if that means slaying a dragon and escaping a witch and a troll, which was really not trouble at all.

This comical read is all about female empowerment, and it is done quite cleverly. I really enjoyed this story.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had known about this book when I was a kid because it would have been an all time favorite. It has that children’s classic tone that I love and was adorable and oh so fun. Please gift this to all the kids in your life and give it a read yourself because it’s worth it.

[Ellen]

This was in our free books pile, discarded from a classroom, but I'm going to catalog it instead; slight but well written and funny tale of a no-nonsense baseball player who gets the chance to see what it would be like if she were a fairy tale princess for a while.

[Ande Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I would have loved it as a young girl. It focuses in a strong protagonist who accidentally gets her passing wish to be a princess. I think many kids would relate to this non-traditional princess, and the illustrations by James Stevenson are fantastic!

[Carfig · Rating 3 out of 5]

being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be for a tomboy whose wish to be a princess comes true because of a magic baseball mitt.

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story of a girl who loves Fairy Tales and suddenly wishes herself into being a princess, only to discover it's not quite as fun as she thought it would be. Delightful illustrations as well!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like some of the choices the author made, but the story was cute.

[Mikayla Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good short story with an easy-to-follow plot, good illustrations to help immersion and imagination, and excellent writing. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it was not a story that spoke to me.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short yarn from Quindlen here is of some interest, a short and sweet read.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie is a tomboy who loves baseball and never wears a skirt. But whenever she's having a bad day, she always retreats to her room to read those old fairy tales that she loved while she was growing up. One day, lying with her head on her baseball glove, she absentmindedly says "I really would like to try being a princess sometime." Imagine her surprise, when she is suddenly in a tower wearing a crown and dealing with a not very bright knight in shining armor. Will the knight save her from the dragon or will Kate have to take matters into her own hand?

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary Happily Ever After (Puffin Chapters) by Anna Quindlen (1999)

Kate loves to play baseball. She also love to read fairy tales about knights and castles and princesses. One day, Kate says to herself, "I would really like to try being a princess sometime." And - poof! - she is a princess.

Before long, she's befriending witches, helping to slay dragons, and teaching the ladies-in-writing how to play baseball. With Kate as a princess, fairy-tale land will never be the same again!


Comments: I love this easy-to-read chapter book as well as the pencil drawings that you come across every so often. It was a fantastic simple read about a girl who becomes so drawn into her reading about knights, castles, and princesses that one day... her imagination takes over. Definitely a recommended read for children of a young age!


Easy Read

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable book that is somewhere in between a picture book and a chapter book, it tells the story of tomboy Kate who loves baseball and fairy tales. She is transported to a past fairy tale realm by wishing on her baseball mitt. While there she helps to get herself out of a variety of interesting predicaments, and generally enjoys herself being herself. When she returns to her own time she still likes fairy tales, but has gained sympathy for witches and trolls. This is a good story for younger girls and even boys, who can see that they might enjoy sports and fairy tales. It is simple enough that it can be read together, and the pictures are fun, though black and white.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine finding yourself transported to a fairy tale world where princesses and baseball make a winning combination.

Anna Quindlen is a spell-binding author--whether she's writing for children or adults. Here is a foray of hers into a book for girls who are tomboys. Dare we say it is her answer to Twain's Connecticut Yankee? Hers is a very quick (and fun) read.

With just 80 pages this is a great book to recommend to ages 7 - 10, reading level 5.4, A.R. points 1.0.

[Aaron Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book that puts a bit of a twist on the classic princess fairytale story. In the story a girl named Kate is a tomboy who loves sports and games. However, she also dreams of being a princess. However when she actually becomes a princess she finds out that it's not quite what she expected. This is a good book for students to read so that they are exposed to different types of fairytales as opposed to the same standard story every time.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

2007 October 23

What happens when your ordinary modern girl finds herself in a fairy tale? Kate discovers the magic within a very lucky baseball glove, and that leads her to a chance to find out. She's not impressed at the idea of sitting around waiting for some guy to rescue her.

Highly recommended to anyone looking for a feminist fairy tale for a new reader.

2008 June 22

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Anna Quindlen, but generally enjoy her non-fiction more than her fiction. This is one of the few exceptions. (This, and the adult novel Black and Blue.) I seem to love these twisted fairy tales, and this is an especially good one.

[Rebecca Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book that shows the girl being the hero for once. The book also has a girl playing baseball. I would read this book when discussing sterotypes. Girls can slay dragons and girls can play baseball.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this off my library shelf because I couldn't find the book I was looking for, and when I opened it, I was smitten. What a gem! Funny (very funny), short and sweet (really sweet too!), and the perfect fast read aloud for a group of students of almost any age. What fun.

[Janine Weston · Rating 3 out of 5]

booklegger spring program 2nd grade

[Heather]

We started this book but didn't finish it as it doesn't hold my 4 yo dd's attention yet, but we will revisit it later.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Happily Ever After
Quindlen, Anna
A fractured fairy tale, written for early elementary school.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book with my eight year old niece in mind. The story is a little unconventional, and I think she will enjoy it. Not incredible, but fun.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for older girls who loved "The Paper Bag Princess". Lily loved this one.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tomboy princess who discovers that sometimes what you wish for isn't what you really want. My 4.5 year old enjoyed me reading it to her, though it was pushing her attention span a bit.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute children's book about a girl who likes baseball and fairy tales.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK ... Was hoping for something a little better.

[Ketti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reading everything written by Anna Quindlen. This is sweet little children’s book. Bonus that is illustrated by James Stevenson.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Stevenson's illustrations. The story's good, too, particularly for kid swho feel like they may not fit the 'mould' or little girls who play sports, avoid skirts, and love fairy tales.