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Buckle and Squash #1
The Perilous Princess Plot
This is the story of two very different sisters--Eliza, who longs to ride into battle against villains and dragons, and Lavender, who would give anything to be a pampered princess. Before the end of the story both of them have had a chance to fulfill their dreams, though not quite in the way they intended...
Accompanied by their depressed goat, Gertrude, with their granny's warnings about the Black Death ringing in their ears, they head out into the forest and come face to face with an evil count who definitely does not have their best interests at heart.
Accompanied by their depressed goat, Gertrude, with their granny's warnings about the Black Death ringing in their ears, they head out into the forest and come face to face with an evil count who definitely does not have their best interests at heart.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2014
17 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Courtauld
41 books22 followersSarah Courtauld lives in London and writes and illustrates funny books for children. Her favourite children's writers are Andy Stanton, Roald Dahl, Tove Jansson, J Meade Falkner and Lemony Snicket, although her all time favourite children's book is The Princess Bride.
Acclaim for Buckle and Squash & the Monstrous Moat Dragon:
"Delicious!"
Gertrude the goat.
Acclaim for Buckle and Squash & the Monstrous Moat Dragon:
"Delicious!"
Gertrude the goat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
December 9, 2015
Considering that I will never but EVER write an early chapter book or, for that matter, an easy book for new readers, it’s funny how often I sit around contemplating their difficulty. More precisely, I want to know which ones are more difficult to write. Easy books sounds like they’d be the hardest, particularly since it is remarkably hard to siphon a book down to its most essential parts while also making it interesting. Then again, those early chapter books are the devil. We see whole bunches of them published every year but how many are the type you’d like to read to your kids at bedtime over and over and over again? Nothing against Magic Treehouse, but would it kill Mary Pope Osborne to include just one tiny giant name Bonnet? Or have her characters fake The Black Death with the aid of turnip soup? I guess that’s what’s so great about Sarah Courtauld’s early chapter book import The Perilous Princess Plot. Not only is it sublime bedtime reading, it’s also perfect for transitioning kids to longer books, AND it’s knock your socks off funny. Goat and gruel, there’s something for everyone here. Unless you hate humor. Then you’re out of luck.
Meet Lavender. Interests include princesses, being a princess someday, handsome princes, and princesses (did I mention that one?). Meet her younger sister, Eliza. Interests include not hearing Lavender mention anything fairy tale related ever ever again (to say nothing of her singing). The two live in the Middle of Nowhere, in the Forgotten Corner of the Kingdom, in the realm of Squerb and their lives are pretty ordinary. Ordinary, that is, until Lavender gets herself kidnapped by the villain Mordmont who is hoping to ransom a pricey princess. Now it’s up to Eliza and her trusty steed/goat Gertrude to rescue Lavender (whether she wants to be rescued or not) and to generally save the day. There just might be a couple odd pit stops to attend to first.
It’s interesting. An author has a lot of ways of making a protagonist sympathetic to the her readership. Often in children’s books an instantaneous way is to make them the recipient of unfair treatment. Nothing captures hearts and minds more swiftly or efficiently than good old-fashioned outrage on behalf of your heroine and that’s certainly how Courtauld begins the book, with Eliza mucking out the goat pen as Lavender tra la las about. However, the real way in which you bond with Eliza is through your mutual annoyance with Lavender. Lavender is sort of what would happen if Fancy Nancy ever got so swallowed up in a princess obsession that she became unrecognizable to her family. Courtauld was quite clever to make Lavender the older sibling too. We’ve all seen the younger-princess-obsessed sibling motif in various books and while I’ve nothing against it, there’s something particularly grating when someone who, by dearth of age alone, should know better yet doesn’t.
In a given day you probably won’t read many early chapter books for kids that feel like the cast of Monty Python meandered out of retirement to write a book for children. Funny? Baby, you don’t know the half of it. Funny is hard. Funny is difficult. Funny is almost impossible to pin down because everyone’s sense of humor is different in some way from everyone else’s. But I simply refuse to believe that there’s a kid out there who could read this book and not crack a smile once. Here, I’ll give you an example. Early in the story the evil villain Mordmont is depressed. As he says, “I’m a man of simple pleasures . . . All I ever wanted was a castle, my own pride of lions, a jeweled crown, a choir of elves singing me awake each morning, sainthood, the power to make gold, the best mustache in Europe, a Jacuzzi, an elephant from the Indies, another one to be its friend, a singing giraffe, the power of invisibility, Magic Cheese Powers, a tiger with the feet of a lamb, the head of a lamb, and the body of a lamb – basically, a lamb – power over the sea, power over the letter C . . .” at which point we’re told that another 4,235 simple pleasures are to be skipped over so that we can fast forward to the final one, “a meringue that speaks Japanese.” It’s the lamb part that really got me. Love that lamb.
So let’s say you’re writing an early chapter book and you have the chance to illustrate it yourself. Do you do so? Particularly if it’s your debut novel? Yep. I’ve checked out her CV and from what I can tell Ms. Courtauld isn’t exactly a trained artist. In this respect she reminds me not a little of Abby Hanlon, another hilarious early chapter book author/self-taught illustrator whose Dory Fantasmagory is largely aided by her seemingly effortless pencilings. In this book too the art is deceptively simple. Just pencil sketches of silly tiny things, really. Yet I tell you right now that if some fancy pants illustrator walked up and said they’d redo the whole thing for free, I’d turn ‘em down flat. Courtauld has this perverse little style (in the best possible way, naturally) that just clicks with her storytelling. Some of it is obvious, like the view of a tearful rhino forced to watch Swan Lake, and some are visual gags so cheap that you just want to physically hug the book itself (like the image of people poking a girl after Mordmont talks about losing at poker). And how many early chapter book British imports can you name that contain images of Kanye West? I rest my case. Check and mate, babies.
According to a number of reputable sources this book has, “won the Sainsbury's Book Award, and has been shortlisted for the Sheffield Children's Book Prize and Coventry Inspiration Book Award.” In the U.K. it was also originally released with the title Buckle and Squash and the Monstrous Moat-Dragon. I’m not entirely certain why the U.S. publisher chose to change that one. Perilous plots are nice and all but they can’t really hold a candle to freakin’ moat dragons, now can they? I mean, it’s a dragon! In a moat! Still, a title change is a small price to pay when you get a book as good as this one. Hand it to a boy, hand it to a girl, hand it to a goat, they’ll all enjoy it in their own ways (though the goat may need a bit of a floss afterwards). If there are more Buckle and Squash books on the horizon, let us hope they float our way. I, for one, will look forward to those adventures. After all, the Monty Python guys can’t live forever. Time for someone else to pick up the torch.
For ages 7-10.
Meet Lavender. Interests include princesses, being a princess someday, handsome princes, and princesses (did I mention that one?). Meet her younger sister, Eliza. Interests include not hearing Lavender mention anything fairy tale related ever ever again (to say nothing of her singing). The two live in the Middle of Nowhere, in the Forgotten Corner of the Kingdom, in the realm of Squerb and their lives are pretty ordinary. Ordinary, that is, until Lavender gets herself kidnapped by the villain Mordmont who is hoping to ransom a pricey princess. Now it’s up to Eliza and her trusty steed/goat Gertrude to rescue Lavender (whether she wants to be rescued or not) and to generally save the day. There just might be a couple odd pit stops to attend to first.
It’s interesting. An author has a lot of ways of making a protagonist sympathetic to the her readership. Often in children’s books an instantaneous way is to make them the recipient of unfair treatment. Nothing captures hearts and minds more swiftly or efficiently than good old-fashioned outrage on behalf of your heroine and that’s certainly how Courtauld begins the book, with Eliza mucking out the goat pen as Lavender tra la las about. However, the real way in which you bond with Eliza is through your mutual annoyance with Lavender. Lavender is sort of what would happen if Fancy Nancy ever got so swallowed up in a princess obsession that she became unrecognizable to her family. Courtauld was quite clever to make Lavender the older sibling too. We’ve all seen the younger-princess-obsessed sibling motif in various books and while I’ve nothing against it, there’s something particularly grating when someone who, by dearth of age alone, should know better yet doesn’t.
In a given day you probably won’t read many early chapter books for kids that feel like the cast of Monty Python meandered out of retirement to write a book for children. Funny? Baby, you don’t know the half of it. Funny is hard. Funny is difficult. Funny is almost impossible to pin down because everyone’s sense of humor is different in some way from everyone else’s. But I simply refuse to believe that there’s a kid out there who could read this book and not crack a smile once. Here, I’ll give you an example. Early in the story the evil villain Mordmont is depressed. As he says, “I’m a man of simple pleasures . . . All I ever wanted was a castle, my own pride of lions, a jeweled crown, a choir of elves singing me awake each morning, sainthood, the power to make gold, the best mustache in Europe, a Jacuzzi, an elephant from the Indies, another one to be its friend, a singing giraffe, the power of invisibility, Magic Cheese Powers, a tiger with the feet of a lamb, the head of a lamb, and the body of a lamb – basically, a lamb – power over the sea, power over the letter C . . .” at which point we’re told that another 4,235 simple pleasures are to be skipped over so that we can fast forward to the final one, “a meringue that speaks Japanese.” It’s the lamb part that really got me. Love that lamb.
So let’s say you’re writing an early chapter book and you have the chance to illustrate it yourself. Do you do so? Particularly if it’s your debut novel? Yep. I’ve checked out her CV and from what I can tell Ms. Courtauld isn’t exactly a trained artist. In this respect she reminds me not a little of Abby Hanlon, another hilarious early chapter book author/self-taught illustrator whose Dory Fantasmagory is largely aided by her seemingly effortless pencilings. In this book too the art is deceptively simple. Just pencil sketches of silly tiny things, really. Yet I tell you right now that if some fancy pants illustrator walked up and said they’d redo the whole thing for free, I’d turn ‘em down flat. Courtauld has this perverse little style (in the best possible way, naturally) that just clicks with her storytelling. Some of it is obvious, like the view of a tearful rhino forced to watch Swan Lake, and some are visual gags so cheap that you just want to physically hug the book itself (like the image of people poking a girl after Mordmont talks about losing at poker). And how many early chapter book British imports can you name that contain images of Kanye West? I rest my case. Check and mate, babies.
According to a number of reputable sources this book has, “won the Sainsbury's Book Award, and has been shortlisted for the Sheffield Children's Book Prize and Coventry Inspiration Book Award.” In the U.K. it was also originally released with the title Buckle and Squash and the Monstrous Moat-Dragon. I’m not entirely certain why the U.S. publisher chose to change that one. Perilous plots are nice and all but they can’t really hold a candle to freakin’ moat dragons, now can they? I mean, it’s a dragon! In a moat! Still, a title change is a small price to pay when you get a book as good as this one. Hand it to a boy, hand it to a girl, hand it to a goat, they’ll all enjoy it in their own ways (though the goat may need a bit of a floss afterwards). If there are more Buckle and Squash books on the horizon, let us hope they float our way. I, for one, will look forward to those adventures. After all, the Monty Python guys can’t live forever. Time for someone else to pick up the torch.
For ages 7-10.
December 28, 2020
A charming funny little book. Probably best read in the traditional style rather than as a read aloud because a few of the jokes were lost that way.
May 18, 2015
Originally reviewed at http://www.shaelit.com/2015/05/review...
Most of the time when I read books, I just enjoy the book. I don't think about target audiences or age ranges or anything like that. A good book is a good book. But then sometimes I pick up a book like this one and get thwacked between the eyes with the fact that I am not, in fact, the intended audience. And you know what? That's okay, because kids are going to love this book.
The Perilous Princess Plot is a funny little book. It's not very long and is definitely light on things I've come to expect in older book like character introspection, descriptions, and the like, but I think that's part of its charm. Actually, what TPPP is most like is a bedtime story a kid would make up and act out for their parents. This story has two princesses, an evil villain, a goat, a hulking henchman, a short giant, and a lot of scribbled illustrations. It doesn't always make sense and certainly isn't realistic, but who the heck cares?
Because I'll tell you this, adults will find things to giggle over alongside their kiddos. TPPP plays with puns, figurative language, and the duality of language in a thoroughly delightful manner. It's like Amelia Bedelia but takes a couple steps beyond ol' AB's focus on idioms. Possibly my favorite part was when Lavender displayed her wall of princes. (All of the princes are cleverly named, with the first three being the most clever and the fourth making me laugh out loud.) My recommendation? Grab yourself this book, a kid (one you're allowed to grab, not a stranger, please), and a willingness to be silly, because this story needs to be read out loud with plenty of sound effects. Enjoy!
Points Added For: Puns and word silliness, the wall of princess, the illustrations.
Points Subtracted For: Sometimes it got a little too unrealistic for me, but again, not the target audience.
Good For Fans Of: Amelia Bedelia, puns, silliness.
Notes For Parents: Some gross jokes.
Note: I received a review copy of this title from the publisher for review consideration.
Most of the time when I read books, I just enjoy the book. I don't think about target audiences or age ranges or anything like that. A good book is a good book. But then sometimes I pick up a book like this one and get thwacked between the eyes with the fact that I am not, in fact, the intended audience. And you know what? That's okay, because kids are going to love this book.
The Perilous Princess Plot is a funny little book. It's not very long and is definitely light on things I've come to expect in older book like character introspection, descriptions, and the like, but I think that's part of its charm. Actually, what TPPP is most like is a bedtime story a kid would make up and act out for their parents. This story has two princesses, an evil villain, a goat, a hulking henchman, a short giant, and a lot of scribbled illustrations. It doesn't always make sense and certainly isn't realistic, but who the heck cares?
Because I'll tell you this, adults will find things to giggle over alongside their kiddos. TPPP plays with puns, figurative language, and the duality of language in a thoroughly delightful manner. It's like Amelia Bedelia but takes a couple steps beyond ol' AB's focus on idioms. Possibly my favorite part was when Lavender displayed her wall of princes. (All of the princes are cleverly named, with the first three being the most clever and the fourth making me laugh out loud.) My recommendation? Grab yourself this book, a kid (one you're allowed to grab, not a stranger, please), and a willingness to be silly, because this story needs to be read out loud with plenty of sound effects. Enjoy!
Points Added For: Puns and word silliness, the wall of princess, the illustrations.
Points Subtracted For: Sometimes it got a little too unrealistic for me, but again, not the target audience.
Good For Fans Of: Amelia Bedelia, puns, silliness.
Notes For Parents: Some gross jokes.
Note: I received a review copy of this title from the publisher for review consideration.
November 17, 2014
What a delicious treat of silly story telling, funny characters and non-stop word play this book is. I can think of many kids who would love this book, but even more adults!
The writer seems to have been inspired by the likes of Edward Lear, Spike Milligan, Douglas Adams, Gideon Defoe, David Walliams and possibly every bad cracker joke as well (but in a good way!) -and it's also uncannily often like my own children's book, so of course I believe Buckle & Squash to be a work of genius!- but once you're a few chapters into this tale, any references/inspirations fly out the window- probably into the author's 'the quivering gloop' near 'the front of beyond', and you get to love Courtauld's writing for her own.
I must have had a smile on my face throughout every page of this book. Whether you're a man or a woman, a boy or a girl, a pointy hatted princess or a prince with an unpronounceable name, if you like your stories to be intelligent, silly and almost Tim Vine type word play delivered, you'll love Buckle & Squash. Bring on the next instalment.
The writer seems to have been inspired by the likes of Edward Lear, Spike Milligan, Douglas Adams, Gideon Defoe, David Walliams and possibly every bad cracker joke as well (but in a good way!) -and it's also uncannily often like my own children's book, so of course I believe Buckle & Squash to be a work of genius!- but once you're a few chapters into this tale, any references/inspirations fly out the window- probably into the author's 'the quivering gloop' near 'the front of beyond', and you get to love Courtauld's writing for her own.
I must have had a smile on my face throughout every page of this book. Whether you're a man or a woman, a boy or a girl, a pointy hatted princess or a prince with an unpronounceable name, if you like your stories to be intelligent, silly and almost Tim Vine type word play delivered, you'll love Buckle & Squash. Bring on the next instalment.
October 29, 2014
Funny, witty and full of adventures, forests, dragons and goats (well, one goat) - what else do you need? It was definitely fun to read this book (especially after all the university lectures and assignments), the unexpected outcomes and connections between different phrases made me laugh a lot and the illustrations were simply amazing. As a (semi-)grown-up who is into Science, I love to read such stories which help my (not-so-)long-lost imagination come back to me and I would recommend this book to anyone no matter what their age and occupation is. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next. :)
P.S.: I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway with a message from the author to Viktor (who is 6, just learning how to read, loves dragons and will love the book too, when he gets it in December).
P.S.: I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway with a message from the author to Viktor (who is 6, just learning how to read, loves dragons and will love the book too, when he gets it in December).
April 20, 2015
4.5 stars. This book is full of punny humor and I read it in one night! There are footnotes too, I love that :D. It is a bit gory for kids though with illustrations showing detached limbs.... But fun for grown ups ha!
March 11, 2017
This book was so ridiculously funny. It was full of weird footnotes and literal metaphors and puns. So. Many. Puns. It made me laugh out loud every few pages. I really enjoyed it.
January 24, 2019
I read this as it came up on a list of the funniest books for kids and I want to bring more funny books on school visits this year. And it is funny--silly, a little zany, and very punny. It has a British vibe to the humor that I think lots of kids and parents will enjoy.
The story follows two sisters--Eliza and Lavender--who have very different goals. Eliza wants to fight dragons and have adventures and Lavender wants to become a princess. This leads them on a silly adventure with an evil villain, a castle, wizards, dragons, and more.
A good choice for bedtime read alouds, fans of fractured fairy tales, and those looking for a funny story. I'll probably booktalk it to 3rd and 4th graders.
The story follows two sisters--Eliza and Lavender--who have very different goals. Eliza wants to fight dragons and have adventures and Lavender wants to become a princess. This leads them on a silly adventure with an evil villain, a castle, wizards, dragons, and more.
A good choice for bedtime read alouds, fans of fractured fairy tales, and those looking for a funny story. I'll probably booktalk it to 3rd and 4th graders.
May 6, 2020
The girls LOVED this and called it the funniest book they'd ever read. I thought it was fine.
February 11, 2024
"Once upon a time, when the world was full of princes and princesses, knights and damsels, dragons and lady dragons, it was also full of mud.
Squelchy, squishy, gurgling, sticky, stinky, endless, mud-coloured mud.
To the two young girls cleaning out their goat pen, it seemed as if there was an infinite supply of mud behind their field in old tumbledown farm, which was called Old Tumbledown Farm, in their village in the middle of nowhere, which was called The Middle of Nowhere, in a forgotten corner of the kingdom, which was called The Forgotten Corner of the Kingdom, deep in the realm of Squerb.
I said that both girls were cleaning out the goat-pen, but this wasn't totally true. Eliza was inside the goat pen, shovelling the mud, while her older sister Lavender was outside the goat pen 'supervising'..."
After wrestling through the the 1,000-year-old-Boy, 6yo and I were ready for something a little more accessible.
So we picked up this book, because:
a) the drawings were lovely
b) the opening chapter made us giggle
c) Lavender seemed like she might secretly be an evil genius plotting to take over the world
Alas, it was not to be.
Ms. Courtauld's talent as a writer is on par with Mr. Stanton's (Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear) and I think she's highly underrated. In fact, there were definitely moments where we had to pause because we were both laughing so hard.
In particular, we loved the parts where 6yo and I would try to copy Lavender's singing.
But sadly, that's where my praise stops.
You see, as a parent I am looking for books that can bridge the intergenerational gap - books that can bring me and my son closer together by giving us new things to talk about - books that are fun and will get him excited to start reading, but also books that have substance.
And sadly, this one didn't.
Lavender and Eliza are both typecast, the "plot" is a string of 'funny situations' strung together, and there is no real central theme or message. When we'd put the book down before bedtime at night, there would be nothing to talk about - nothing to discuss. It was fun in the way that Grizzy and the Lemmings is fun - well made and entertaining but utterly circular.
When I asked my son whether he'd read a sequel, he said absolutely, "I liked how Lavender kept pretending to be a princess, even though her singing was AWFUL."
So ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from our 6yo, and ⭐⭐ from me.
---
Previous read-out-loud reviews:
⮎ The Letter for the King (6 yo)
⮎ The Cat Who Came In off the Roof (6 yo)
⮎ Bodies Are Cool (6 yo)
⮎ The Ice Monster (6 yo)
⮎ The 1,000-year-old Boy (6 yo)
December 8, 2015
If you want to study the literary device of using parody to exaggerate the fairy tale genre for comedic effect, then I suggest picking up this book. Or if you just want to snort laugh your breakfast cereal out your nose, then I suggest this book again. Eliza and Lavendar live in Old Tumbledown Farm in The Middle of Nowhere in the land of Squerb, where Lavendar dreams of being a princess and Eliza dreams of strangling her neck. Just kidding. Eliza is stuck with all the chores and is just annoyed by her princess-loving sis. But honestly, first time we meet Lavendar she sees a man in the distance and cries out, "A knight upon the high road! I may faint!" It's a bald man named Bob. Lavendar then proceeds to faint and asks Eliza to rate her faint. This drama queen makes Anne of Green Gables romantic tendencies look tame in comparison. When Lavendar gets kidnapped by an archetype villain, it is Eliza who rescues her showing that Eliza will do anything for her cornflakey sister.
Eliza is a foil to Lavendar. While Lavendar wants to be more princessy than a princess, Eliza dreams of being a hero, defeating dragons and traveling to far off places. The cornucopia of puns and play on words, and run-on sentences reminded me of the character voices in "The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom," by Christopher Healy. The villain sets out to kidnap a princess identifying her as a girl that sings badly, dances, pick flowers, and wears a pointy princess hat - all traits found in Lavendar. Except she also sings in the romance language, French. Badly. When Lavendar is kidnapped she gets it in her head that the villain is really a handsome prince disguised as an ugly person like in Beauty and the Beast.
There are some fun twists and turns in this goofy tale. Eliza tries to change Lavendar into seeing how absurd all her prince dreams are while Lavendar tries to prove that they are true. By the end the two have adventures that have them understanding and tolerating each other a little more, but it isn't always easy. It is always funny though. This story is pretty outlandish. My favorite minor character is the grandma that tells bedtimes stories full of pestilence, murder, and death. She reminded me of Jon Klassen's picture books.
Her story is about William who came down with the Black Death. "'And from that day on, he was covered in spots,' she said serenely. 'And then came the lumps. And then his skin started to wither. And then he collapsed. And then his fingers fell off. And then his legs fell off. And then he died.' she smiled. 'The end. Would you like another story?'"
Yes, please. I'm looking forward to more Squash and Buckles.
Eliza is a foil to Lavendar. While Lavendar wants to be more princessy than a princess, Eliza dreams of being a hero, defeating dragons and traveling to far off places. The cornucopia of puns and play on words, and run-on sentences reminded me of the character voices in "The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom," by Christopher Healy. The villain sets out to kidnap a princess identifying her as a girl that sings badly, dances, pick flowers, and wears a pointy princess hat - all traits found in Lavendar. Except she also sings in the romance language, French. Badly. When Lavendar is kidnapped she gets it in her head that the villain is really a handsome prince disguised as an ugly person like in Beauty and the Beast.
There are some fun twists and turns in this goofy tale. Eliza tries to change Lavendar into seeing how absurd all her prince dreams are while Lavendar tries to prove that they are true. By the end the two have adventures that have them understanding and tolerating each other a little more, but it isn't always easy. It is always funny though. This story is pretty outlandish. My favorite minor character is the grandma that tells bedtimes stories full of pestilence, murder, and death. She reminded me of Jon Klassen's picture books.
Her story is about William who came down with the Black Death. "'And from that day on, he was covered in spots,' she said serenely. 'And then came the lumps. And then his skin started to wither. And then he collapsed. And then his fingers fell off. And then his legs fell off. And then he died.' she smiled. 'The end. Would you like another story?'"
Yes, please. I'm looking forward to more Squash and Buckles.
August 11, 2019
My Title: A belly full of laughs and endless entertainment for everyone!
Author Sarah Courtauld has put together a very entertaining read that kids will really love. This is a tale about two very different sisters. Eliza who likes nothing more than battles against villains and dragons, and Lavender who just wants to be a pampered princess.
This book contains loads of quirky illustrations which beautifully adds to the zany storyline. (My personal favourite illustrations being Grandpa Joe, the villain Mordmont, the tearful rhinoceros, and the monstrous green moat-dragons!)
Expect your child to be very easily engaged with this book because of its vast amount of fun, humour, wit, jokes, fabulous adventures and its delightful characters.
Despite Granny's warning about the Black Death ringing in the protagonists (the girls) ears, they head out into the haunted forest and come face to face with an evil count – when Lavender gets kidnapped in the forest of Toothy you can expect an unpredictable and bumpy ride!
What will happen? - Both girls have a chance to fulfil their dreams...
It really is an entertaining read. This is a book that children will want to read over and over again!
Parents will enjoy sharing this story with their children at bedtime. It's ideal for early readers too!
I recommend this book.
I received a free paperback copy of this book in a first-reads giveaway.
Author Sarah Courtauld has put together a very entertaining read that kids will really love. This is a tale about two very different sisters. Eliza who likes nothing more than battles against villains and dragons, and Lavender who just wants to be a pampered princess.
This book contains loads of quirky illustrations which beautifully adds to the zany storyline. (My personal favourite illustrations being Grandpa Joe, the villain Mordmont, the tearful rhinoceros, and the monstrous green moat-dragons!)
Expect your child to be very easily engaged with this book because of its vast amount of fun, humour, wit, jokes, fabulous adventures and its delightful characters.
Despite Granny's warning about the Black Death ringing in the protagonists (the girls) ears, they head out into the haunted forest and come face to face with an evil count – when Lavender gets kidnapped in the forest of Toothy you can expect an unpredictable and bumpy ride!
What will happen? - Both girls have a chance to fulfil their dreams...
It really is an entertaining read. This is a book that children will want to read over and over again!
Parents will enjoy sharing this story with their children at bedtime. It's ideal for early readers too!
I recommend this book.
I received a free paperback copy of this book in a first-reads giveaway.
November 5, 2014
This book has a sense of fun and a sense of adventure within its pages.
The story follows the adventures of two sisters, Lavender and Eliza, who have two different destinies. Eliza was "going to battle dragons and giants. She was going to vanquish monsters and travel to distant mountains." Her sister Lavender's destiny was "almost certainly going to feature a handsome prince."
It is because of Lavender's wish for a Prince that she gets in trouble being kidnapped for ransom in a castle surrounded by a moat where the Monstrous Moat-Dragon mentioned in the title of the book lives. It is up to Eliza, the more sensible sister as she doesn't have her head in the clouds, to save her.
The humour in the book is the same type of silly, surreal humour as made popular in the Mr Gum books. The drawings that accompany the text are pretty unique being quick pencil drawings and as such they carry a particular type of charm.
My 7-year-old really enjoyed the book. The first day we started reading it she went off and read the rest on her own, which shows her interest.
The story follows the adventures of two sisters, Lavender and Eliza, who have two different destinies. Eliza was "going to battle dragons and giants. She was going to vanquish monsters and travel to distant mountains." Her sister Lavender's destiny was "almost certainly going to feature a handsome prince."
It is because of Lavender's wish for a Prince that she gets in trouble being kidnapped for ransom in a castle surrounded by a moat where the Monstrous Moat-Dragon mentioned in the title of the book lives. It is up to Eliza, the more sensible sister as she doesn't have her head in the clouds, to save her.
The humour in the book is the same type of silly, surreal humour as made popular in the Mr Gum books. The drawings that accompany the text are pretty unique being quick pencil drawings and as such they carry a particular type of charm.
My 7-year-old really enjoyed the book. The first day we started reading it she went off and read the rest on her own, which shows her interest.
November 7, 2014
There is a terrible tendency in the publishing industry and in our culture in general to see books about boys as being "for everyone" while books about girls are "just for girls". This book is an excellent place to start challenging that idea. Both protagonists are girls, but there is nothing in this book that a boy couldn't enjoy as well. It's a funny story with dragons, wizards and fart jokes. There are even a few jokes that seem to be primarily for the parents. It made me laugh out loud in a few parts and I will be recommending this book to my nieces and my nephews.
The only reason I have given 4 stars instead of 5 is because I'm not a fan of introducing plot points and then not resolving them in the same book. I know it's to get people to read the sequels, but I was left a little annoyed that so much was left unresolved. It always seems a little manipulative to me.
(Disclosure: I received a free copy in a first reads giveaway.)
The only reason I have given 4 stars instead of 5 is because I'm not a fan of introducing plot points and then not resolving them in the same book. I know it's to get people to read the sequels, but I was left a little annoyed that so much was left unresolved. It always seems a little manipulative to me.
(Disclosure: I received a free copy in a first reads giveaway.)
November 2, 2014
I won an ARC of this book here on Goodreads. The author was amazing and signed and doodled in the book for my daughter who was so happy to get her first personalised book.
We read as a bed time story over 4 nights and my daughter was constantly laughing as I read it to her. She particularly loved Grandma Maud and the whole princess name later in the story.
We just finished the book last night and today she was reading it on her own and asked can we read it all again. I recommend for a fun read for your children (my daughter is 6 but it is written for older children too). I give 5/5 stars and my Abigail said she will give it 100/5 stars.
We read as a bed time story over 4 nights and my daughter was constantly laughing as I read it to her. She particularly loved Grandma Maud and the whole princess name later in the story.
We just finished the book last night and today she was reading it on her own and asked can we read it all again. I recommend for a fun read for your children (my daughter is 6 but it is written for older children too). I give 5/5 stars and my Abigail said she will give it 100/5 stars.
October 27, 2014
This is a super take on the Princess fairy tale that I won in a Goodreads giveaway.
The story is laugh out loud funny and perfect for both reading aloud to an early reader or for reading alone. The delightful quirky illustrations enhance the tale and I would highly recommend this book to any youngster who loves a different take on a pretty princess awaiting her handsome prince. Combining talking goats, fire throwing dragons and haunted forests you have a super book for any little princess to enjoy! An easy 5* tale!
The story is laugh out loud funny and perfect for both reading aloud to an early reader or for reading alone. The delightful quirky illustrations enhance the tale and I would highly recommend this book to any youngster who loves a different take on a pretty princess awaiting her handsome prince. Combining talking goats, fire throwing dragons and haunted forests you have a super book for any little princess to enjoy! An easy 5* tale!
November 29, 2014
A real good fun book, I read this to my daughter and she spent a lot of time laughing at it (funny voices were added by my as they didn't come with the book).
The illustrations in this are all pencil drawings and are really well done. The author has signed the book for my daughter and she also drew a dragon for her which she loves.
So much detail has been put into the story, even the chapter titles are inventive and there are references to previous scenes in the book so ya gotta pay attention.
Really looking forward to Eliza and Lavender's next adventure.
The illustrations in this are all pencil drawings and are really well done. The author has signed the book for my daughter and she also drew a dragon for her which she loves.
So much detail has been put into the story, even the chapter titles are inventive and there are references to previous scenes in the book so ya gotta pay attention.
Really looking forward to Eliza and Lavender's next adventure.
August 6, 2016
I had high hopes for this book, based on the cover and the description, but in the end I just wasn't a fan. I didn't like either of the main characters; neither one has many endearing qualities. The narrator is a bit intrusive, and the childish illustrations didn't add much to the story. I'm sure there are kids who will love this book, but it didn't work for me.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.
January 31, 2016
A laugh-out-loud funny book about a girl obsessed with becoming a princess and her practical sister who has to rescue her when plans go awry. It's a quick, easy read with lots of cartoony illustrations and wacky, witty humor that reminded me of Monty Python and/or Cressida Cowell's dragon books. This would be a fun one for kids who like fractured fairy tales and a great choice for any kids who enjoy laughing.
November 18, 2016
I was pretty underwhelmed by this offering, which has a lot of potential in the premise but not a great follow-through. The characters were pretty flat and the plot was loose and made no sense in some places. However, I thought this book had a similar vibe as Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon series, so I think kids who like that would also like this book.
October 10, 2014
I read this with my 2 children (9yrs & 7yrs). They both loved it. It is witty, fun, and full of adventure. A great read for kids as it keeps them entertained throughout... I would highly recommend.
copy won through Goodreads giveaways.
copy won through Goodreads giveaways.
December 18, 2015
Keep in mind fir ny ratubg that for these chapter books, I am, of course, not the target audience. I'm reading them because I like to write this kind of thing. This one had a lot of humor that reminded me of Monty Python.
October 7, 2014
A very adventurous and exciting book for my 9 year old girl.
She found the book extremely funny, humorous and also adventurous.
A book that makes want to keep on reading and dont want to stop.
She found the book extremely funny, humorous and also adventurous.
A book that makes want to keep on reading and dont want to stop.
November 4, 2014
We really enjoyed this book. It was such a happy lovely story. Thanks so much!!
July 23, 2017
Cute but forgettable. Full review to come.
July 5, 2018
There were parts that were really funny, but overall I thought it was tedious.
November 9, 2022
For better or for worse, this reads like something a 9-year-old would write -- with fabulous childish illustrations to match. Sort of a child's version of something Dave Barry or Jack Handey would think up. A story filled with silly characters, off-the-wall plot points, and plenty of wonderfully gross muck and yuck; with similes of the "it tasted like a seasick goblin's vomit" variety. There were plenty of bait-and-switch plot twists, amusingly upended storytelling stereotypes, and amusing puns.
The story was never predictable, and the characters' solutions to their various problems, while certainly silly and unexpected, were never entirely out of thin air, which is something I appreciate in an over-the-top adventure story like this one. There was always some inherent logic that led from one point to the next, even though the entire thing was of course outlandish.
Overall this was a fun enough ride that I finished the entire book. However, I will not be recommending it to the kiddos, because:
1. While the author amusingly subverted some common fairytale/story tropes (see: Lavender's singing), we were still stuck with the "princess waiting to be saved by her prince" theme, and I was uncomfortable with Lavender (a young girl) preparing to kiss the mean, ugly, smelly, and clearly adult "prince." I know it's meant to be a joke, but I couldn't help noticing how Lavender convinced herself to do what the man wanted, despite her own misgivings. Not something I want to teach to the little ones, even in jest.
2. I feel that Eliza has way too much responsibility on her shoulders, between having to basically run the farm and keep Lavender out of trouble. This reads like a parentified child.
3. I generally prefer not to give the kids books that are too chaotic, gross, and "ill-behaved," and this book certainly fits that bill. Fine for some kids who read it as just a silly tale and move on to the next book; problematic for others who will act out inappropriate things and get in trouble.
The story was never predictable, and the characters' solutions to their various problems, while certainly silly and unexpected, were never entirely out of thin air, which is something I appreciate in an over-the-top adventure story like this one. There was always some inherent logic that led from one point to the next, even though the entire thing was of course outlandish.
Overall this was a fun enough ride that I finished the entire book. However, I will not be recommending it to the kiddos, because:
1. While the author amusingly subverted some common fairytale/story tropes (see: Lavender's singing), we were still stuck with the "princess waiting to be saved by her prince" theme, and I was uncomfortable with Lavender (a young girl) preparing to kiss the mean, ugly, smelly, and clearly adult "prince." I know it's meant to be a joke, but I couldn't help noticing how Lavender convinced herself to do what the man wanted, despite her own misgivings. Not something I want to teach to the little ones, even in jest.
2. I feel that Eliza has way too much responsibility on her shoulders, between having to basically run the farm and keep Lavender out of trouble. This reads like a parentified child.
3. I generally prefer not to give the kids books that are too chaotic, gross, and "ill-behaved," and this book certainly fits that bill. Fine for some kids who read it as just a silly tale and move on to the next book; problematic for others who will act out inappropriate things and get in trouble.
January 15, 2021
If you like quirky, unique read-aloud books, this one's for you.
Pros: Laugh-out-loud funny in parts. This one would be good for both boys and girls, and it would be good for a mixed age group. Even my teenagers laughed at this while they were half-listening across the room. The princess aspect is treated sarcastically, so it's not too heavy with the frills and glass slippers. Plenty of action to keep the story moving, there are illustrations on most of the page spreads, and there are a lot of oddball aspects to the characterizations/setting, so I appreciate the thinking-outside-the-box.
Cons: The illustrations were not appealing to me (in fact, I think I've passed up this book several times because I've judged this book by its cover, which looks like careless scribbles.) A lot of the humor in the book relies on wordplay, which may go over some children's heads. A few of the parts I thought were funny didn't crack a smile on my 7-year-old, but there were still plenty of laughs. A child definitely needs to have a grasp of puns and sarcasm to appreciate some of the jokes. Also, I don't think any of the characters really "learned a lesson," but maybe that's just fine when a book is just fun for the sake of being fun.
Pros: Laugh-out-loud funny in parts. This one would be good for both boys and girls, and it would be good for a mixed age group. Even my teenagers laughed at this while they were half-listening across the room. The princess aspect is treated sarcastically, so it's not too heavy with the frills and glass slippers. Plenty of action to keep the story moving, there are illustrations on most of the page spreads, and there are a lot of oddball aspects to the characterizations/setting, so I appreciate the thinking-outside-the-box.
Cons: The illustrations were not appealing to me (in fact, I think I've passed up this book several times because I've judged this book by its cover, which looks like careless scribbles.) A lot of the humor in the book relies on wordplay, which may go over some children's heads. A few of the parts I thought were funny didn't crack a smile on my 7-year-old, but there were still plenty of laughs. A child definitely needs to have a grasp of puns and sarcasm to appreciate some of the jokes. Also, I don't think any of the characters really "learned a lesson," but maybe that's just fine when a book is just fun for the sake of being fun.
February 20, 2019
My 4-year-old gives this 107 stars out of 5, but my husband & I both give it 2 out of 5, so we outnumbered her on this one. The illustrations are painful to look at. The writing is SO full of bad jokes that it is really distracting, and I'm not sure if any of the characters really learned anything or grew by the end of the story. And the cameo of the gay magicians in the middle of the story felt very awkward & random. On the bright side, some of those bad jokes I mentioned earlier were quite funny to my preschooler. She mostly liked it because the girls tricked the bad guy in the end, never needed an adult's help, and had adventures that were just adventurous enough not to be too scary, but were still exciting.
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