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More Than a Princess #1
More than a Princess
From beloved house author E. D. Baker comes the first book in a middle-grade series about a princess who’s more than what she seems―and the kingdom whose fate rests in her hands.
Aislin of Eliasind is more than just a princess -- she's half-fairy and half-pedrasi, with magical gifts from each side of her heritage!
One day, as Aislin is venturing through the woods, she is alarmed to hear a band of humans coming through. How did they get past the guarded magical passageway that leads to her hidden kingdom? Mistaken for a human herself, Aislin is captured, and soon realizes she's in even bigger trouble--she's being used as a pawn to help the king of this nearby kingdom, Morrain, find a secret passageway to the warring land of Scarmander, so he can capture his enemies by surprise. Aislin must find a way to break free, while also minding the beautiful human princess and ladies-in-waiting she now shares a castle with, who are all too ready to point out her differences. Thankfully, Aislin's inner strength goes beyond her magical qualities. And with a few loyal friends by her side, she's ready to stand up for herself and her kingdom once and for all.
A classic and original fairy-tale that celebrates beauty and goodness in all its shapes and sizes, More than a Princess will resonate with readers who love magic, suspense, girl power, and adventure.
Don't miss the sequel, Power of a Princess !
And look for these other magical series by E.D.
Tales of the Frog Princess
The Wide-Awake Princess
The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker
More Than a Princess
Magic Animal Rescue
and more!
Aislin of Eliasind is more than just a princess -- she's half-fairy and half-pedrasi, with magical gifts from each side of her heritage!
One day, as Aislin is venturing through the woods, she is alarmed to hear a band of humans coming through. How did they get past the guarded magical passageway that leads to her hidden kingdom? Mistaken for a human herself, Aislin is captured, and soon realizes she's in even bigger trouble--she's being used as a pawn to help the king of this nearby kingdom, Morrain, find a secret passageway to the warring land of Scarmander, so he can capture his enemies by surprise. Aislin must find a way to break free, while also minding the beautiful human princess and ladies-in-waiting she now shares a castle with, who are all too ready to point out her differences. Thankfully, Aislin's inner strength goes beyond her magical qualities. And with a few loyal friends by her side, she's ready to stand up for herself and her kingdom once and for all.
A classic and original fairy-tale that celebrates beauty and goodness in all its shapes and sizes, More than a Princess will resonate with readers who love magic, suspense, girl power, and adventure.
Don't miss the sequel, Power of a Princess !
And look for these other magical series by E.D.
Tales of the Frog Princess
The Wide-Awake Princess
The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker
More Than a Princess
Magic Animal Rescue
and more!
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2018
28 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
E.D. Baker
40 books1,592 followersE.D. Baker made her international debut in 2002 with The Frog Princess, which was a Texas Lone Star Reading List Book, A Book Sense Children's Pick, a Florida's Sunshine State Readers List pick & a 2006 Sasquatch Book Award nominee. The Frog Princess inspired the Disney's Princess and the Frog!
E. D. Baker was born in Buffalo, New York and spent most of the next eighteen years in the Town of Tonawanda with her older brother and her parents. She married her husband while in college, and had two children a few years after graduating from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. When her son was four, the family moved to the state of Maryland. With two young children at home, E.D. worked part time in her husband’s business and took writing classes at the local community college. She continued taking writing classes after the birth of her second daughter, but when she and her husband divorced, she went back to school and entered the SIMAT (School Immersion Masters in the Art of Teaching) program at Johns Hopkins University. After graduating, she taught fifth grade until her parents’ health began to fail. Her son had already graduated from college when E.D. and her daughters moved north to be closer to her parents. Having gained a new perspective on what is important in life, E.D. decided that it was time to believe in herself and devoted her time to writing. Her first book, The Frog Princess, was published in 2002. E.D. has written 25 books to date and has no plans to quite writing anytime soon.
Currently E. D. Baker lives on a small farm in Maryland where she and her family breed Appaloosa horses. They also have dogs, cats and goats.
If you have a question or a comment for E. D. Baker regarding her books, you can e-mail her at edbakerbooks@gmail.com and she will try very hard to reply to your e-mails. (Just keep in mind it may take a while before she responds, because she is working on a new book for you to enjoy!) For updates, announcements on upcoming books and daily posts by E.D. Baker be sure to follow her on Facebook.
E. D. Baker was born in Buffalo, New York and spent most of the next eighteen years in the Town of Tonawanda with her older brother and her parents. She married her husband while in college, and had two children a few years after graduating from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. When her son was four, the family moved to the state of Maryland. With two young children at home, E.D. worked part time in her husband’s business and took writing classes at the local community college. She continued taking writing classes after the birth of her second daughter, but when she and her husband divorced, she went back to school and entered the SIMAT (School Immersion Masters in the Art of Teaching) program at Johns Hopkins University. After graduating, she taught fifth grade until her parents’ health began to fail. Her son had already graduated from college when E.D. and her daughters moved north to be closer to her parents. Having gained a new perspective on what is important in life, E.D. decided that it was time to believe in herself and devoted her time to writing. Her first book, The Frog Princess, was published in 2002. E.D. has written 25 books to date and has no plans to quite writing anytime soon.
Currently E. D. Baker lives on a small farm in Maryland where she and her family breed Appaloosa horses. They also have dogs, cats and goats.
If you have a question or a comment for E. D. Baker regarding her books, you can e-mail her at edbakerbooks@gmail.com and she will try very hard to reply to your e-mails. (Just keep in mind it may take a while before she responds, because she is working on a new book for you to enjoy!) For updates, announcements on upcoming books and daily posts by E.D. Baker be sure to follow her on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 18, 2018
A fun light adventure, when you finally get to it. The beginning of the book includes a whole lot of world building which was rather tedious at times. Aislin is a very likable heroine but a little too perfect and powerful, I never felt that any threat to her or her people was particularly serious. And I think her naivete in the human world was vastly underplayed considering the very warm supportive environment she had grown up in. Surrounding this story were many, many hints of stories of other characters such as Tomas or her parents that sounded like they would have been much more exciting and compelling than what was narrated here, but what was here was still fun and not overly predictable.
October 30, 2018
You are going to love Aislin. She can do some things fairies can do, some things Pedrasi can do and she has unique gifts all her own. One of my favorites was her ability to sing and put ogres to sleep. In her home kingdom, Eliasind, a multitude of creatures dwell in harmony. When Aislin discovers a hunting party of humans in their woods she diligently works to protect her kingdom -- even going so far as to allow that royal hunting party "rescue" her in order to divert them from hurting those she loves. Throughout her faithful fairy companion (Poppy) and her living doll (Twinket) work with her to make things right. There is no doubt -- this princess does not need to be rescued; she will do the hard work herself to save her world.
Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this delightful new fairy tale.
Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this delightful new fairy tale.
November 28, 2021
I won a copy of More than a Princess several months ago, and was delighted when the author offered to sign it with a message for my girls! They love The Princess and the Frog movie, so I thought a similar story (since that movie was based on another of the author's books) would be something they enjoyed.
Unfortunately, this book had a glaring problem that I couldn't ignore, and one I didn't want to address in front of my girls. My main issue with this book was its focus and fixation on the main character's weight. They're only three, but I didn't want the character's comments to stick with them at such an impressionable age (or even once they're older). I have several sticky notes notating the areas where it's mentioned (and never in a nice way), so I'll share a few:
⮿ "Larch leaned forward to see past Nurlue. 'We're careful about what we eat,' she told King Tyburr. 'I can see why,' King Tyburr said, glancing at Aislin before turning to the heavier pedrasi and the fairies' padded clothes."
⮿ "'I'll need more fabric for this one's gowns,' said the seamstress. 'I'll do what I can to make her look thin, but I can't work miracles. The styles today are meant for slender girls.' 'Do you have any styles that would work on her?' asked Lady Speely. 'A few, and I'll try slimming colors, of course.'"
⮿ "And she wasn't even pretty! Well, her face was pretty, but her skin was as tanned as a goat girl's and she was as plump as the cook's daughter."
⮿ "He said that his father says that he should think about marrying you, but that's never going to happen. He said that he refuses to have a plump wife when there are so many thin girls around."
⮿ "Your voice is lovely, but seeing you would be too distracting."
⮿ "'Did you know that you'd be quite beautiful if only you lost some weight?' called Laneece."
More than a Princess is marketed as Childrens, Juvenile, and Middle Grade, so I hated that there were so many negative comments about the main character's appearance. It didn't add anything to the story. Aislin never seemed to take them seriously, but it was one component of the book that I wish had been left out. It was unnecessary and could potentially hurt a child's perception of themselves. There was nothing wrong with Aislin, and I hated that people kept insinuating otherwise.
Additionally, a lot of Aislin's actions (and those of other characters) simply didn't make sense. Aislin spends a large portion of her time trying to keep the humans away from her family and the castle, and even King Tyburr knows she's trying to distract and mislead them. However, when he suddenly wants to "rid the castle of its monsters," Aislin runs out screaming for him to save her. She says the castle is okay during the day, but she has to lock herself away at night (seriously, what is happening here). When the king first arrived, he commented on how much Aislin's "mother" obviously loved her, and that's how he'd deduced she was a princess. There was too much conflicting information, so her "needing to be saved" didn't make sense.
King Tyburr was welcomed into another king's castle, yet he was able to make demands as if its inhabitants were his own? How was he able to take Aislin so easily? Her "father" didn't insist that some of their guards go with them? King Tyburr shouldn't have held any authority over the faeries, despite Aislin trying to keep them safe from discovery. Aislin is still a child; however, all of the adults deferred to her because she was their princess. It didn't seem realistic to me.
I also have no idea how the humans made it as far as they did. Are you telling me the fairies had no warning systems in place to alert them of a breach or forced entry? They didn't have a way to hide or camouflage their home? They couldn't use magic to confuse or distract the humans? Again, it was unrealistic.
Tomas was also entirely too trusting of Aislin (and vice versa), especially since they didn't know each other and were both in similar positions of power. They bonded instantly, and a friendship didn't take long to develop. Later, his personality seemed to shift, and he didn't resemble the Tomas we first met. It was also annoying how quickly his doubts and disbeliefs regarding magic changed into enthusiastic acceptance.
Later on in the book, Aislin confessed to not giving the pedrasi the same respect she gave to fairies, and that came out of nowhere. Up until that point, she'd been equally happy about both sides of her heritage, and even seemed to use her pedrasi magic more. It was like the author was trying to force the main character to be internally conflicted, despite her never having felt that way before.
The actions of the adults were unbelievable, the way they treated children was incredibly frustrating, the negative fixation on the main character's weight, the general vibe of the story–it all left a lot to be desired. I honestly think this book will be detrimental to the way children view themselves, and hope that it's not something they focus on or take too seriously. The characters were shallow and underdeveloped, and the entire plot happened without too much fuss or conflict. (★★⋆☆☆)
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Unfortunately, this book had a glaring problem that I couldn't ignore, and one I didn't want to address in front of my girls. My main issue with this book was its focus and fixation on the main character's weight. They're only three, but I didn't want the character's comments to stick with them at such an impressionable age (or even once they're older). I have several sticky notes notating the areas where it's mentioned (and never in a nice way), so I'll share a few:
⮿ "Larch leaned forward to see past Nurlue. 'We're careful about what we eat,' she told King Tyburr. 'I can see why,' King Tyburr said, glancing at Aislin before turning to the heavier pedrasi and the fairies' padded clothes."
⮿ "'I'll need more fabric for this one's gowns,' said the seamstress. 'I'll do what I can to make her look thin, but I can't work miracles. The styles today are meant for slender girls.' 'Do you have any styles that would work on her?' asked Lady Speely. 'A few, and I'll try slimming colors, of course.'"
⮿ "And she wasn't even pretty! Well, her face was pretty, but her skin was as tanned as a goat girl's and she was as plump as the cook's daughter."
⮿ "He said that his father says that he should think about marrying you, but that's never going to happen. He said that he refuses to have a plump wife when there are so many thin girls around."
⮿ "Your voice is lovely, but seeing you would be too distracting."
⮿ "'Did you know that you'd be quite beautiful if only you lost some weight?' called Laneece."
More than a Princess is marketed as Childrens, Juvenile, and Middle Grade, so I hated that there were so many negative comments about the main character's appearance. It didn't add anything to the story. Aislin never seemed to take them seriously, but it was one component of the book that I wish had been left out. It was unnecessary and could potentially hurt a child's perception of themselves. There was nothing wrong with Aislin, and I hated that people kept insinuating otherwise.
Additionally, a lot of Aislin's actions (and those of other characters) simply didn't make sense. Aislin spends a large portion of her time trying to keep the humans away from her family and the castle, and even King Tyburr knows she's trying to distract and mislead them. However, when he suddenly wants to "rid the castle of its monsters," Aislin runs out screaming for him to save her. She says the castle is okay during the day, but she has to lock herself away at night (seriously, what is happening here). When the king first arrived, he commented on how much Aislin's "mother" obviously loved her, and that's how he'd deduced she was a princess. There was too much conflicting information, so her "needing to be saved" didn't make sense.
King Tyburr was welcomed into another king's castle, yet he was able to make demands as if its inhabitants were his own? How was he able to take Aislin so easily? Her "father" didn't insist that some of their guards go with them? King Tyburr shouldn't have held any authority over the faeries, despite Aislin trying to keep them safe from discovery. Aislin is still a child; however, all of the adults deferred to her because she was their princess. It didn't seem realistic to me.
I also have no idea how the humans made it as far as they did. Are you telling me the fairies had no warning systems in place to alert them of a breach or forced entry? They didn't have a way to hide or camouflage their home? They couldn't use magic to confuse or distract the humans? Again, it was unrealistic.
Tomas was also entirely too trusting of Aislin (and vice versa), especially since they didn't know each other and were both in similar positions of power. They bonded instantly, and a friendship didn't take long to develop. Later, his personality seemed to shift, and he didn't resemble the Tomas we first met. It was also annoying how quickly his doubts and disbeliefs regarding magic changed into enthusiastic acceptance.
Later on in the book, Aislin confessed to not giving the pedrasi the same respect she gave to fairies, and that came out of nowhere. Up until that point, she'd been equally happy about both sides of her heritage, and even seemed to use her pedrasi magic more. It was like the author was trying to force the main character to be internally conflicted, despite her never having felt that way before.
The actions of the adults were unbelievable, the way they treated children was incredibly frustrating, the negative fixation on the main character's weight, the general vibe of the story–it all left a lot to be desired. I honestly think this book will be detrimental to the way children view themselves, and hope that it's not something they focus on or take too seriously. The characters were shallow and underdeveloped, and the entire plot happened without too much fuss or conflict. (★★⋆☆☆)
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July 27, 2019
4.5 stars. Picked this up because I have a review copy of the sequel, and I wanted to have the backstory. I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed this. The first chapter throws a lot of world-building and names at you, but once the story really gets rolling it all clicks into place. I loved the characters at the core of the story and the magical world was great too. Looking forward to reading book 2.
November 19, 2019
Totally delightful! Lots of magic. Great female friendships. (I am a sucker for those.) A welcome escape from heavier readings. A joy of a book.
Aislin, Poppy, and Twinket are adorable characters. I enjoyed getting lost in their world for a short time. A world of fairies, nymphs, sprites, ogres, and dolls that walk and talk. The first few chapters were a bit rough until I got down the names of the characters and all the different beings living in the Kingdom. I couldn’t quite figure out what a pedrasi was but I didn’t really care. I enjoyed it anyway. I also loved the themes of self-acceptance than ran throughout the book. So important for young girls. Aislin also handles being bullied in a constructive way.
Great for older elementary-aged fantasy fans. If you enjoyed The Chronicles of Hawthorn books by Rue (as did I), you will love this series.
Aislin, Poppy, and Twinket are adorable characters. I enjoyed getting lost in their world for a short time. A world of fairies, nymphs, sprites, ogres, and dolls that walk and talk. The first few chapters were a bit rough until I got down the names of the characters and all the different beings living in the Kingdom. I couldn’t quite figure out what a pedrasi was but I didn’t really care. I enjoyed it anyway. I also loved the themes of self-acceptance than ran throughout the book. So important for young girls. Aislin also handles being bullied in a constructive way.
Great for older elementary-aged fantasy fans. If you enjoyed The Chronicles of Hawthorn books by Rue (as did I), you will love this series.
abandoned
September 7, 2019I love Baker's frog prince and wide-awake princess series, but I couldn't get past the first chapter with this one. If an author can't hook me in the first few pages, I'm not sticking around. Too many books. Too little time.
April 17, 2023
no bc i enjoyed this way more than i should. mc is a TOTALLL mary sue but i love her so much i don’t even care. this was so adorable and fun!
October 28, 2018
More than Just a Princess is a wonderful read. I love the plot of going on a journey to protect and help one's family for myself and the underlying messages of inner beauty, honesty, and communication for my daughters.
I can always count on E D Baker for stories that are decidedly good and beautiful.
I can always count on E D Baker for stories that are decidedly good and beautiful.
November 19, 2018
More than a Princess is a story about a young princess named Aislin. She is part fairy and part pedrasi and throughout the story she learns to embrace who she truly is in an attempt to save her kingdom. I love how Aislin is willing to make sacrifices for her family and takes charge of her own future. This is an inspiring book for all ages, but I believe that it would most appeal to those aged 8-12. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would strongly recommend it.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). My opinions are my own.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). My opinions are my own.
August 18, 2018
E.D Baker’s "More Than A Princess" is a book of magic, power, and undying love and friendship. A fun-filled fantasy of friendly characters and ones you’re sure to despise, "More Than A Princess" is a book you’re sure to read again and again!
Princess Aislin of Eliasind is a thoughtful, brave, and lovable princess who would do anything to protect her family. When an evil king tries to enter her castle and hurt her family, Aislin turns herself in for their safety. After sending a couple spies out, Aislin begins to realize that she’s not safe in the castle. But if she escapes, what would happen to Tomas, a kind boy who was captured from his own kingdom, and the king’s daughter, a princess with a bad reputation but might be different than Aislin thinks?
I think that people who like to read Jessica Day George’s books would enjoy "More Than A Princess". I like Aislin because she’s kind and would do anything for her family’s safety. She doesn’t lose her temper easily even when she’s being teased in certain parts of the book. E.D. Baker came up with very creative characters called Pedrasi. I am happy to have this book as part of my collection and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out!
Filled with adventure, suspense and humor, "More Than A Princess" is a book many will enjoy!
Princess Aislin of Eliasind is a thoughtful, brave, and lovable princess who would do anything to protect her family. When an evil king tries to enter her castle and hurt her family, Aislin turns herself in for their safety. After sending a couple spies out, Aislin begins to realize that she’s not safe in the castle. But if she escapes, what would happen to Tomas, a kind boy who was captured from his own kingdom, and the king’s daughter, a princess with a bad reputation but might be different than Aislin thinks?
I think that people who like to read Jessica Day George’s books would enjoy "More Than A Princess". I like Aislin because she’s kind and would do anything for her family’s safety. She doesn’t lose her temper easily even when she’s being teased in certain parts of the book. E.D. Baker came up with very creative characters called Pedrasi. I am happy to have this book as part of my collection and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out!
Filled with adventure, suspense and humor, "More Than A Princess" is a book many will enjoy!
August 14, 2018
@kidlitexchange #partner
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Thanks to the lovely #kidlitexchange network for a review copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
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More Than A Princess / E.D. Baker
Release date: November 6, 2018.
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If you’re a fan of flower fairies 🧚♀️, talking dolls, unicorns 🦄 magical powers and most of all,strong💪 and ingenuous girls who will save a kingdom, you’ll love E.D. Baker’s More Than a Princess, the latest from the author who brought you The Frog Princess (inspiration for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog).
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Some will really enjoy (I know I was channeling overly precious 8-year-old me so hard in the descriptions of the magical kingdom of Eliasind and all the different powers of the magical creatures within!) but what will really linger in your mind is the lovely message that this book sends - how princess Aislin overlooks the mean girls’ taunting, of her own comfort and even confronts her own unconscious biases to work with her friends to save her family and kingdom. 👑
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Will definitely recommend to my 3-4th grade students who adore fantasy and who doesn’t love badass princesses??!?
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@bookishbloomsbury #mglit #princesses #mightygirls #somuchmorethanflowers
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Thanks to the lovely #kidlitexchange network for a review copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
~
More Than A Princess / E.D. Baker
Release date: November 6, 2018.
~
If you’re a fan of flower fairies 🧚♀️, talking dolls, unicorns 🦄 magical powers and most of all,strong💪 and ingenuous girls who will save a kingdom, you’ll love E.D. Baker’s More Than a Princess, the latest from the author who brought you The Frog Princess (inspiration for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog).
~
Some will really enjoy (I know I was channeling overly precious 8-year-old me so hard in the descriptions of the magical kingdom of Eliasind and all the different powers of the magical creatures within!) but what will really linger in your mind is the lovely message that this book sends - how princess Aislin overlooks the mean girls’ taunting, of her own comfort and even confronts her own unconscious biases to work with her friends to save her family and kingdom. 👑
~
Will definitely recommend to my 3-4th grade students who adore fantasy and who doesn’t love badass princesses??!?
~
@bookishbloomsbury #mglit #princesses #mightygirls #somuchmorethanflowers
August 8, 2018
This middle grade fantasy sets up an expansive world ripe for further explanation. Princess Aislin is half fairy and half pedrasi (a rock-affinity people) and lives in a hidden kingdom with other magical people. Unexpected human visitors mean that she has to leave to protect her kingdom's secrets. There she has mystery and intrigue to solve, along with her fairy friend and magic doll.
I didn't love the trope of her being taken to be a potential suitor for a human prince, but that device is quickly turned on its head. I did appreciate Aislin's kindness, respect, and search for peaceful options. The use of magic was fun too!
Fans of middle grade fantasy will enjoy. This one is a good choice for younger fantasy readers as there is nothing explicit and the violence is lightly described. The ARC I received says grades 9 and up, but I would recommend grades 4-8.
I didn't love the trope of her being taken to be a potential suitor for a human prince, but that device is quickly turned on its head. I did appreciate Aislin's kindness, respect, and search for peaceful options. The use of magic was fun too!
Fans of middle grade fantasy will enjoy. This one is a good choice for younger fantasy readers as there is nothing explicit and the violence is lightly described. The ARC I received says grades 9 and up, but I would recommend grades 4-8.
July 9, 2019
More than a Princess by E. D. Baker targets an elementary-aged audience. Sometimes authors can target elementary-aged audiences and still write books that are enjoyable for older readers. Unfortunately, More than a Princess isn't one of those books. I likely would have devoured the story when I was a lot younger, but now, not so much. In the story, Princess Aislin had an answer to every problem, her plans never failed, and her magic surpassed anyone else in all the magical world. The more I came to know Aislin, the less truly threatening the story's villains seemed. Still, I admired aspects of the story, including the protagonist's willingness to sacrifice herself for the good of her family, the magical world where the fairies and pedrasi live, the main characters' close friendships, and the introduction of the pedrasi race to the vast list fantasy races. Will I read the rest of the series? No. Would I give the book to a younger reader? Probably. After all, young fantasy-lovers want a fun, magical novel and don't mind the plot and structural problems that frustrate me. More than a Princess will give those readers the adventure that they're looking for.
September 9, 2018
More Than a Princess introduces readers to Aislin of Eliasind. Aislin is half-fairy and half-pedrasi, a new being created by Baker who get their power from rocks. All of the magical creatures - fairies, pedrasi, sprites, gnomes, trolls, et. al. - live in a realm kept separate from the humans by a magical passageway. When Aislin finds a group of humans have entered her kingdom, she passes herself off as human to save her kingdom from discovery. Unfortunately, she winds up being taken back into the human realm "for her safety." In their castle Aislin finds lies, back-stabbing, and generally awful people. She has to be the bigger person and rely on her own inner strength (and some stowaway friends) to get back to her family.
I wasn't certain about this book when I first started reading it. We love the Wide Awake Princess series, but I couldn't really get into Aislin and her story. Then right around page 100 the whole thing came alive and I was completely sucked into the story.
When Aislin finds herself in the human castle, the depth of her character, her ingenuity, and an immense inner strength really shine. Aislin figures out early on that King Tyburr was not to be trusted and then she quickly realizes that his entire court is also cruel and backstabbing. In order to survive, Aislin has to be the bigger person and let their unkind words and deeds roll off of her back. She also has to dig deep in order to keep her emotions in check due to her pedrasi power. The pedrasi are tied to stones and the earth and Aislin has so much power that when she gets angry it can make anything of stone around her shake - like the entire castle.
But Aislin learns that even though it can feel like it, she is not alone in the castle and not everyone is against her. With a few loyal friends, Aislin manages to stand up for herself and get free. This is the start of a series, however, so when she does get free she discovers the root of one her problems and knows that she has to find a way to make things right. Full of adventure, suspense, and touches of magic, More Than a Princess is a good start to a new series with a very strong female lead.
* Thank you to the KidLitExchange Network for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I wasn't certain about this book when I first started reading it. We love the Wide Awake Princess series, but I couldn't really get into Aislin and her story. Then right around page 100 the whole thing came alive and I was completely sucked into the story.
When Aislin finds herself in the human castle, the depth of her character, her ingenuity, and an immense inner strength really shine. Aislin figures out early on that King Tyburr was not to be trusted and then she quickly realizes that his entire court is also cruel and backstabbing. In order to survive, Aislin has to be the bigger person and let their unkind words and deeds roll off of her back. She also has to dig deep in order to keep her emotions in check due to her pedrasi power. The pedrasi are tied to stones and the earth and Aislin has so much power that when she gets angry it can make anything of stone around her shake - like the entire castle.
But Aislin learns that even though it can feel like it, she is not alone in the castle and not everyone is against her. With a few loyal friends, Aislin manages to stand up for herself and get free. This is the start of a series, however, so when she does get free she discovers the root of one her problems and knows that she has to find a way to make things right. Full of adventure, suspense, and touches of magic, More Than a Princess is a good start to a new series with a very strong female lead.
* Thank you to the KidLitExchange Network for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 21, 2018
Ugh E.D. Baker is a true middle grade queen.
I LOVED THIS. I have been a fan of E.d. bakers writing since I was a young teen and I always know I can count on her to write a fun fantasy that makes my heart happy.
This book is about a girl named Aislin whose half padrasi and half fairy, she then gets kipnapped and is thrown between two warring kingdoms. I cannot say how much I enjoyed this main character. she was strong, smart, independent, and did whatever she could to keep her family and friends safe. The plot wasn't out of this world, but it's a fantasy middle grade so it was good for the age/genre. Now onto my big thoughts. They were many fatphobic comments. Our main character is described as "plump", which was a shock as the girl on the cover doesn't show that. Throughout most of the book she is ridiculed for her size and look. This all comes as a surprise to her because she had always been raised to just think of herself as NOTHING IS WRONG WITH HER BODY. There are several nasty comments about how she needs to wear certain clothes to look thinner, or certain colors and more things along those lines. BUT HERE'S THE KICKER Y'ALL. THE REASON THIS WASN'T PROBLEMATIC WAS BECAUSE THE COMMENTS WERE EXCLUSIVELY MADE BY MEAN/EVIL CHARACTERS. When other good characters heard these comments being made they called out the people for saying them and continued to tell Aislin that she's fine and beautiful the way she is. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE Y'ALL. It's not unrealistic for fatphobic comments to come up because they happen. But they shouldn't be being said by "good" characters. Certainly not by protagonists without the behavior being called out. All that being said, I loved how it ended up being and it was just such a lovely read.
I LOVED THIS. I have been a fan of E.d. bakers writing since I was a young teen and I always know I can count on her to write a fun fantasy that makes my heart happy.
This book is about a girl named Aislin whose half padrasi and half fairy, she then gets kipnapped and is thrown between two warring kingdoms. I cannot say how much I enjoyed this main character. she was strong, smart, independent, and did whatever she could to keep her family and friends safe. The plot wasn't out of this world, but it's a fantasy middle grade so it was good for the age/genre. Now onto my big thoughts. They were many fatphobic comments. Our main character is described as "plump", which was a shock as the girl on the cover doesn't show that. Throughout most of the book she is ridiculed for her size and look. This all comes as a surprise to her because she had always been raised to just think of herself as NOTHING IS WRONG WITH HER BODY. There are several nasty comments about how she needs to wear certain clothes to look thinner, or certain colors and more things along those lines. BUT HERE'S THE KICKER Y'ALL. THE REASON THIS WASN'T PROBLEMATIC WAS BECAUSE THE COMMENTS WERE EXCLUSIVELY MADE BY MEAN/EVIL CHARACTERS. When other good characters heard these comments being made they called out the people for saying them and continued to tell Aislin that she's fine and beautiful the way she is. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE Y'ALL. It's not unrealistic for fatphobic comments to come up because they happen. But they shouldn't be being said by "good" characters. Certainly not by protagonists without the behavior being called out. All that being said, I loved how it ended up being and it was just such a lovely read.
September 6, 2019
This book was not great.
The premise is a cliche, the fairies, who are perfect people, have separated themselves from the selfish, warring, humans and live perfect lives until some humans stumble upon the castle, where the princess decides to make the humans take her back with them so that they don't try to slay the mysterious monsters in her castle.
The way everybody speaks in this book is frankly, ridiculous. The king, one of the humans who stumbled on the castle, speaks all of his thoughts out loud and most of the humans are incredibly rude. Aislin is incredibly emotional and gets angry and cries at unbelievable times.
She has many abilities, healing, super-strength, the ability to manipulate people with her voice- which is stunning-, the ability to read rocks, the ability to manipulate rocks, and she can zap people.
But, that's not enough for her, she is jealous that her friend can shrink and fly, when Aislin can't. There are several contradictions in this book. For example, she gets offended by the nasty speech of the human courtiers, but then later on, it says that she's used to the snobby courtiers and they don't bother her. Normally, I enjoy this author's stories, but this story feels like it was written without much thought involved in making the characters different and actually intelligent, likable people.
But, with all of this, the book was still mildly entertaining and younger children would probably find it fun.
The premise is a cliche, the fairies, who are perfect people, have separated themselves from the selfish, warring, humans and live perfect lives until some humans stumble upon the castle, where the princess decides to make the humans take her back with them so that they don't try to slay the mysterious monsters in her castle.
The way everybody speaks in this book is frankly, ridiculous. The king, one of the humans who stumbled on the castle, speaks all of his thoughts out loud and most of the humans are incredibly rude. Aislin is incredibly emotional and gets angry and cries at unbelievable times.
She has many abilities, healing, super-strength, the ability to manipulate people with her voice- which is stunning-, the ability to read rocks, the ability to manipulate rocks, and she can zap people.
But, that's not enough for her, she is jealous that her friend can shrink and fly, when Aislin can't. There are several contradictions in this book. For example, she gets offended by the nasty speech of the human courtiers, but then later on, it says that she's used to the snobby courtiers and they don't bother her. Normally, I enjoy this author's stories, but this story feels like it was written without much thought involved in making the characters different and actually intelligent, likable people.
But, with all of this, the book was still mildly entertaining and younger children would probably find it fun.
November 7, 2018
This book is about a princess called Aislin. She is actually half-fairy / half-pedrasi (Pedrasi is a kingdom were magical people can pull magic out of stones). When a human king brings Aislin to his kingdom in the human world, she feels like she’s in a whole new world! She finds out that the human king only wants to use her to force her parents for directions to a nearby kingdom to start a war. I like this book because there is a lot of fantasy, adventure and a lot of exciting things happen!
A big reason why I like E.D. Baker’s books are because of the romance. But compared to the author’s other books, this book has less romance and in my opinion, could use a lot more!
My favourite part is at the end, the author uses a lot of detail in describing what happens, that I feel like I’m also in the book! If you like reading E.D. Baker’s books then I think you would really enjoy this book and those of you who haven’t, I recommend this book too!
An advanced copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Maia, age 9
A big reason why I like E.D. Baker’s books are because of the romance. But compared to the author’s other books, this book has less romance and in my opinion, could use a lot more!
My favourite part is at the end, the author uses a lot of detail in describing what happens, that I feel like I’m also in the book! If you like reading E.D. Baker’s books then I think you would really enjoy this book and those of you who haven’t, I recommend this book too!
An advanced copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Maia, age 9
September 22, 2018
In this new book we are introduced to our main character the Princess Aislin of the magical kingdom of Eliasind a place where magical creatures of all kinds are welcome to live in peace under the rule of the fairy king and his wife the pedrasi princess. Once a human king enters their lands and disrupts the balance in their kingdom that was hidden from the human world ages ago for safety, Aislin ventures on a journey to the human world to uncover secrets with her fairy friend Poppy and her living doll Twinket and some new human friends picked up along the way. This magical story is sure to capture your attention from the beginning as you delve into this beautifully crafted magical world with all its creatures and places. I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to explore a brand new world that E.D Baker has created. These books are not just for middle grade readers but are enjoyable for all ages.
December 15, 2019
This is a great fairytale story!
Aislin is mixed race. Her parents are a fairy and a pedrasi. They broke down conventions by marrying and joining two different groups of people together. They have magic, so they stay hidden from humans. But their secrets are threatened when a human king finds their kingdom.
Aislin was a strong character. She was very brave to stand up for her people. She had to deal with a lot of racism and criticism on her looks. She didn’t look like a typical human princess because she was built differently. The boys would tease her, but she didn’t let it bring her down. I really liked the way race relations were in this story, though they were represented in fairytale creatures. This can be compared to racism and discrimination in real life.
I really enjoyed this story!
Aislin is mixed race. Her parents are a fairy and a pedrasi. They broke down conventions by marrying and joining two different groups of people together. They have magic, so they stay hidden from humans. But their secrets are threatened when a human king finds their kingdom.
Aislin was a strong character. She was very brave to stand up for her people. She had to deal with a lot of racism and criticism on her looks. She didn’t look like a typical human princess because she was built differently. The boys would tease her, but she didn’t let it bring her down. I really liked the way race relations were in this story, though they were represented in fairytale creatures. This can be compared to racism and discrimination in real life.
I really enjoyed this story!
October 3, 2018
I loved this new book by E.D. Baker. It's about this girl named Aislin and she is part fairy and part pedrasi. My favorite character in the book was the main character, Aislin, because she is strong and brave. Aislin and her friends Poppy and Twinket were taken by humans to the human world and the book is about them trying to get back home to their fantasy world. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to my friends. I still like E. D. Baker's Frog Princess series the best, but this book was really good and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
A complimentary copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kelsey, age 11
A complimentary copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kelsey, age 11
August 8, 2019
More than a Princess is a fun adventure to read. I had to reread the beginning of the book a few times because the author was creating the world that these characters lived in and at times I was a little confused and the reading was tedious. After feeling more comfortable with that portion I really enjoyed the story. Princess Aislin and the other characters were developed really well. I enjoyed reading about Aislin's journey to protect the people she loves, while embracing her inner strength, beauty, and honesty. This story is a fun and interesting read and I look forward to reading more books this in this series.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 29, 2019
Eliasind is a hidden, magical kingdom where all sorts of magical creatures live in safety and harmony. Children who love fantasy and sprites, fairies, ogres and trolls will love this story. Aislin is the princess of this kingdom descended from two magical races and she has very strong power indeed. In addition to her magic she is also smart, brave and kind. Aislin's ideal world is shattered when humans stumble upon the kingdom and she is taken prisoner to be used as a pawn in a conflict between two human kingdoms. A little preachy perhaps, but a good story with a very strong and very likable female lead character.
April 9, 2021
I enjoy E.D. Baker's books and I liked this one but I don't love it as much as some of her other books.
I think for the age its probably directed at that a strong female lead is portrayed through Aislin and I also believe that Tomas is a good male character, both with a strong moral compass showing good/bad and right/wrong scenarios and that basically nice matters. I think it really shows a female in a role with power and strength and encourages girls to take control of their own lives and be their own happy ending rather than depending on someone else for that happiness.
I do believe that these would be good books for younger kids, girls in particular but boys as well.
I think for the age its probably directed at that a strong female lead is portrayed through Aislin and I also believe that Tomas is a good male character, both with a strong moral compass showing good/bad and right/wrong scenarios and that basically nice matters. I think it really shows a female in a role with power and strength and encourages girls to take control of their own lives and be their own happy ending rather than depending on someone else for that happiness.
I do believe that these would be good books for younger kids, girls in particular but boys as well.
November 7, 2018
More Than a Princess is an adventure book by E. D. Baker. I have enjoyed all of E.D. Bakers books and this one is no exception! I loved how when I read the book I got whisked away to a fantasy land of fairies and Pedrasi. There, Aslin, the princess of this fantasy land is taken to the human lands and is used as bait against her family and friends. As you read this book you get to know Aslin and relate to the struggles she faces. You also join her as she makes new friends in this new and exciting novel.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). My opinions are my own.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). My opinions are my own.
December 3, 2018
The first book in a new Princess series by Baker. This princess is adventurous and willing to take risks to save her family. She leaves her fairy kingdom to save her mother and brother and is taken to a human kingdom. While there, she discovers two kingdoms planning a war against each other and fairies who were left behind when the main fairy kingdom left and sealed itself from view.
Characters are given subtle undertones.
Book ends with several plot points bridging to the next book.
Characters are given subtle undertones.
Book ends with several plot points bridging to the next book.
June 8, 2021
278 pgs. This book took me forever to read and I am not sure why. It has an interesting plot with fairies, humans, and pedrasi. Aislin saves a king from the human world and ends up in adventures beyond her fairy realm. The characters are well-developed and the action moves the plot along well. The magic in this story is kind of different and refreshing. I think girls will especially enjoy the adventures and the strength found in the main characters. Highly recommended for Grades 4-6.
November 7, 2018
Aislin is such a strong, powerful, amazing character. Not only is she a princess, but she is also part fairy and part pedrasi. Aislin and her doll, Twinket, are captured by a human king, King Tyburr. She meets a new friend, Tomas, who helps her on this adventure. Join Aislin as she tries to stand up for her kingdom and family and prove that she really is more than a princess.
January 18, 2021
Such a cute book! Magic system interesting, characters are great, and plot was fun. Not giving it 5 stars just because I felt like the climax could have been a little bit more intense, but I’m also a young adult reading a children’s book. 🤷♀️ But I’m going to keep reading the series so that’s a good sign.
January 2, 2019
E.D. Baker does it again!
More than a Princess is a very imaginative story, with Aislin, a strong protagonist who is easy to love! Her friends are well characterized, and there are plot twists that keep you turning the pages. Enjoy!
More than a Princess is a very imaginative story, with Aislin, a strong protagonist who is easy to love! Her friends are well characterized, and there are plot twists that keep you turning the pages. Enjoy!
June 7, 2019
E.D Baker’s "More Than A Princess" is a book of magic, power, love and friendship. A fun-filled fantasy of friendly characters and ones you’re sure to despise. "More Than A Princess" is a book you’re sure to read again and again! I highly recommend this book!
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