The Princess and the Wizard

by Julia Donaldson, Lydia Monks (Illustrator)

“The princess may try seven times to escape By changing her colour and changing her shape.” But each time Princess Eliza changes – into a blue fish, a yellow chick, a red fox or a black cat – the wicked wizard finds her and sets her another horrible task. Will this plucky princess be able to outwit him and escape back to the palace in time to cut her birthday cake?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Princesses

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2006

About the author

Growing up
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).

Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.

I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.

Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.

The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.

I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.

One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.

My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.

I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.

Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.

When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.

Reviews

[Sophia Triad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brave Princess Eliza proves that she does not need a prince to save her, when the evil wizard kidnaps her. She will just save herself and go back to continue her birthday party.
Another sweet book by Ms Donaldson.

[Womony Behrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if Rapunzel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty didn't wait around for a prince to rescue them, but instead used their own wits to find happiness? I have read Princess & The Wizard with several classrooms of young children and both boys and girls remark on how much they prefer this story to the traditional passive fairytale princesses. It really should be part of any class study of fairytales.
Donaldson clearly means to twist the older fairytales: Like in Sleeping Beauty, the story begins with a birthday party for the princess, where an evil character casts an evil spell, and then the good fairy comes in and changes the spell just ever so slightly to give the fair maiden a fighting chance. Like in Rapunzel, the girl is captured and imprisoned in a high tower. Like in Cinderella, she is made to do all the cleaning.
But the bargain that the fairy godmother has wagered for Princess Eliza is that she has seven chances to outwit and escape the evil Wizard. Using her own powers of observation, a clever plan to trick the Wizard and her own magical powers, Princess Eliza manages to live happily ever after.

[Marion Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of my favourite books I read to my year one class. This book allows the reader to get the children really involved and the illustrations are really colourful and exciting. The book is about a princess who is trying to outsmart the horrible wizard. The princess is given 7 attempts to try and outsmart the wizard by turning herself into a different colour and shape. Each animal in the story is associated with a colour and day of the week ending with the seventh day (Sunday) where the princess cleaverly escapes.

This book can be used in science to discuss animals as well as being used to introduce days of the week and possibly used in a drama session with children.The rhyme and repetition in the story makes it an exciting and engaging read. It is also playful and full of magic. This would would best suit Early years and KS1 children. This book can be read independently by advanced KS1 readers as well as making a great story to read to the whole class.

[Rosie Potter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable book, even if it does ‘have glitter on every page’. The protagonist of the princess shows real determination, and is defiant in her efforts to escape, showing true strength which I think the children will identify with! I really like ending where it joins together all the different aspects on the story onto one page, with a clear resolution at the end. Lydia Monks’ illustrations are as unique as ever, and the glitter really does help bring the images to life. I can’t see much substance to this book, but would definitely be a nice end of the day read!

[TheoR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliza gets trapped she only have seven days and seven times to change into any form, she should escape and help others from the wicked wizard's magic.

[Nichola Theobald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn (age 7) says "I love when Eliza has a party and she finally made it out of the castle, and the great big wizard was really mean, he got to give Eliza more jobs to do and the wizard had bendy fingers and his toenails were really big making holes in his socks and he made her stich them up for him and she cleared up the bathroom because it had toothpaste all around it and it was so yucky and so smelly that she didn't like it and she scrubbed it up, her arms were so tired cuz she had to do all these jobs. She made it with girlpower, she had her birthday at last with her family and her friends and the fairy godmother".

Alice (age 4) says "I love that book because of the princess and the wizard, everytime the wizard kept finding her and the wizard said you have to stay in the castle for the rest of your life and I love it because its beautiful. "

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my friend's daughter and we both enjoyed it.

In this book, Princess Eliza has to outsmart a nasty wizard who casts a spell on her and her family at her birthday party. The story follows her many attempts to escape.

This was a good story and very empowering for young girls. The illustrations are beautiful too. There was the odd moment that didn't quite join up but other than that it is an excellent book.

[Eva Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite picture books when I was little. The illustrations accompany and enhance the text greatly, with some even coated with glitter! (Something that many children love). The author creates an enticing story line which uses techniques such as rhyme to mimic the form of a traditional tale.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've got to love a book whose cover shouts, to me "With GLITTER on every page!" from the shelf at a Heathrow WHSmith bookshop "

This is an odd and interesting take on Sleeping Beauty, it seems. I don't want to spoil the ending, but I can tell you THIS princess is not saved by a kiss from a handsome prince, so who saves her, and the kingdom?

[Francesca Pashby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different to the usual JD, but it kept me guessing and I thought it was very sweet.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining enough

[Sarah Newman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable if not super memorable?

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The girls enjoyed the sensory aspect of the glitter on the illustrations. The story was cute.

[Riana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an ok book. The princess may try seven times to escape. By changing her colour and changing her shape. Can princess Eliza find a way to the wicked wizard before it's too late?

[Melted Marshmellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

[Ramona Cantaragiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least the princess saves herself because she is smart. But the story is not that enjoyable (the punishments are not funny, the transformations are meh...)

[Dorthe Svendsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Litt mer avansert gramatikk og tekst i denne. Men den kan fungere til å lese og få elevene til å omskrive. Finne en farge og noe som rimer på fargen og lage dikt eller bok eksempelvis.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming and whimsical!

[Luke B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Kate CB · Rating 3 out of 5]

KS1

Themes:
- problem solving
-transformation

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 3 out of 5]

2025 REREAD: Unfortunately, I now find this to be shallow and babyish, with not good art. There are many plot holes, even for a children's picture book. There is noticeable cheating with set magical rules at the end, too, which I won't reveal due to spoilers. Still, little kids are sure to enjoy it. Plus, the princess in this fairy tale doesn't need a prince to save her (although she is only seven-years-old).

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



A sparkly, colourful fairy tale and fantasy children's picture book. A princess who learns and develops in order to escape her captor by herself, using the help given to her by her incapacitated fairy godmother? Fancy that!

I guess that's the reason why I like 'The Princess and the Wizard' more than Julia Donaldson's most famous work, 'The Gruffalo' - it's feminist, intentional or not.

Poor young Princess Eliza, with her fairy godmother's magic, turns herself into various colourful animals whenever the wizard gives her her seven chances to escape his castle (he owns a rhyming magical book which tells him where she is every time, so he isn't utterly stupid). This reminded me of 'The Sword and the Stone'. And the wizard being angry and setting forth the plot at the beginning because he wasn't invited to Eliza's birthday party is 'Sleeping Beauty'-ish.

The story itself is fun, and Eliza proves to be a proactive and smart heroine overtime (her seven-days deadline, to be exact) in this 30-page tale. The only real downside is the wizard is such a one-dimensional villain, even by the standards of children's picture books, and he doesn't receive any punishment for everything he's done in the end. He turns Eliza's family and fairy godmother to stone, for pete's sake!

It's nice and heartwarming, still.

I'd like to see 'The Princess and the Wizard' adapted into something, and expanded on a lot more. It'd make a great kid's film, especially for girls who like princesses with no princes; who work hard to save themselves. By adapting to and changing herself - externally and internally - depending on her circumstances and environment.

Final Score: 4/5

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Princess and the Wizard by Julia Donaldson Is about a young girl called Princess Eliza. At her birthday party a wicked wizard interrupts turning all her guests to stone and capturing the princess.

The Princess’s fairy godmother appears explaining that she has ‘seven times to escape by changing her colour and changing her shape’. The princess attempts to escape by changing into a fish, a chick, a grasshopper, fox, butterfly, cat and bird. Princess Eliza finally realises that the Wizard is one step ahead and knows exactly what she is doing. Eliza cleverly turns herself into a blank page in the Wizards book and escapes just in time to re-join her party.

The book uses simple language and is repetitive and engaging. The reader feels as if they are on a journey with Eliza to escape from the castle. There is also the use of rhyme. This book would be great for a young reader (Foundation stages: for the story and KS1 advance readers for independent reading.)

In addition this book is beautifully illustrated, Bright and colourful on every page which further explains the story with the use of glitter as a great sensory tool.

I think this book would be wonderful when learning about different animals and habitats and teachers could use role-play allowing the children to transform into animals. Its also a great way to stretch their imagination with activities where the children have to suggest animals which Eliza can turn into, thinking about the colour, textures and the way the animal moves.

[Zunairah Mohammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a wicked old wizard and a nice little princess. The story keeps going in a rhythmic way with small hide and seeks in every little corner.
Julia Donaldson

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book with a strong and smart female character, Eliza. It teaches children colours and numbers through a playful story.
The princess may try seven times to escape By changing her colour and changing her shape.

But each time Princess Eliza changes – into a blue fish, a yellow chick, a red fox or a black cat – the wicked wizard finds her.Princess Eliza finally realises that the Wizard is one step ahead and knows exactly what she is doing. Eliza cleverly turns herself into a blank page in the Wizards book and escapes just in time to re-join her party.

The book uses simple language and is repetitive and engaging. The reader feels as if they are on a journey with Eliza to escape from the castle. There is also the use of rhyme. This book would be great for a young reader (Foundation stages: for the story and KS1 advance readers for independent reading.)


This story can alos be used for a maths lesson for children in ks1. the children could make a timetable showing the different events of the story and the days and times they happened on.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and beautifully illustrated story that follows the story of a princess who is captured by a wizard but given 7 opportunities to escape by changing her form. She shanges several times until she realises that the wizard has a magical book which tells him where she is hidden. During her final opportunity to escape, she outwits the wizard and turns in to a blank page in his book. He gets angry that he doesn't know where she is and throws the book out in a rage enabling her escape.

The story is lively and fun and told in Julia Donaldson's typical engaging way. The book could be used in a cross curricular approach for ks1. Children could try to identify the synonyms for particular words such as said or write a recount in the first person imagining they are either the wizard or the princess.

[Sheryl Jeremiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a about a Princess having a birthday party with her family and friends. A horrible Wizard comes to the party and turns all the guests to stone. He then captures the Princess and locks her away. She is given seven chances to escape by changing her colour and shape. She tries to escape and each time is recaptured until she realises that the wizard's book gives him the answers. Shen eventually manages to escape and return to her birthday party.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I think that it would be suitable for Nursery, reception and year 1 children. This book would be great for teaching children about the days of the week and also about different colours. If I were to use this book in class, I would read it to the whole class then provide activities based on the book for children to work on independently or with an adult.

[Niharika · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was Princess Eliza's 7th birthday, everyone except the wicked wizard. He was so angry he captured the princess and locked her in a tower. She tried to escape but each time he found her. She changed herself into
1. Blue fish
2. Chick
3. Grasshoper
4. Orange fox
5. Purple Butterfly
6. Black cat
7. white bird

While flying she saw how the wizard was finding her out and she changed herself into a white page of his magic book. Her idea worked and she got back to her palace.

I liked how princess turned herself into many things. The character I liked the most was the Fairy Godmother because she blessed her with the power to change her shape n colour 7 times that helped Eliza escape from the wizard.

I read this book when I was 5 years old.

[Jody · Rating 2 out of 5]

I initially gave this one three stars, but after reading it again with my little spider the other night, it's down to a very tenuous two. Usually I could pick one of her books from a mile off, but if I read this one blind (yes, I do realise how difficult that would be!) I would never have picked her as the author. This book lacks all of the charm, wit and warmth that I associate with the amazing Julia Donaldson.

[Kelsi Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The princess doesn't invite everyone to her party, and now she gets captured by the wizard because of it. It's a fairytale that keeps you guessing if she's able to escape but I also believe it can teach a lesson. It doesn't feel good to be the one left out and you have to always think of that when inviting people to a party or event. I love this book and would use it as a read aloud, definitely. I give it a 5 out of 5.

[Julie Grasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

It might be just me, but a wizard who locks a girl in a tower etc in the hope to trap her forever to be his slave, just left a bit of an uneasy feeling for me. I know that is the classic fairytale genre, and the princess is sassy enough to outwit him, so I get it, but I didn't like this one as much.