Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic

Hamster Princess #2

by Ursula Vernon

Princess Harriet is nobody’s hamster damsel in distress! Book two of this series for Babymouse and Princess in Black fans is filled with even more action and twisted fairy tale fun

Princess Harriet has absolutely no interest in brushing her hair, singing duets with woodland animals, or any other typical princess activities. So when a fairy tells a very bored Harriet about twelve mice princesses who are cursed to dance all night long, she happily accepts the quest and sets off with a poncho of invisibility and her trusty battle quail. But when she arrives at the Mouse Kingdom, she discovers there's more to the curse than meets the eye, and trying to help is dangerous business . . . even for a tough princess like Harriet.

From the creator of Dragonbreath, comes a laugh-out-loud funny new comic-hybrid series, bursting with girl power and furry fairy tale retellings.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Humor, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Adventure, Graphic Novels

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2016

About the author

Ursula Vernon, aka T. Kingfisher, is an author and illustrator. She has written over fifteen books for children, at least a dozen novels for adults, an epic webcomic called “Digger” and various short stories and other odds and ends.

Ursula grew up in Oregon and Arizona, studied anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota, and stayed there for ten years, until she finally learned to drive in deep snow and was obligated to leave the state.

Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she works full-time as an artist and creator of oddities. She lives with her husband and his chickens.

Her work has been nominated for the Eisner, World Fantasy, and longlisted for the British Science Fiction Awards. It has garnered a number of Webcomics Choice Awards, the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story, the Mythopoeic Award for Children’s Literature, the Nebula for Best Short Story, the Sequoyah Award, and many others.

Reviews

[Nimi Mimi]

Es queeee una saga de libros TAAAN guay!

Pensé que, como el primero había sido increíble y era la novedad, este no me iba a gustar tanto, pero es que está mujer tiene oro en esa cabecita!

10/10 💖

[deborah o'carroll (offline during 2026)]

Well, THAT was fun and hilarious. XD Twelve dancing mouse princesses and a warrior-princess hamster -- what could be more fun? For a younger audience, but funny enough I didn't mind. Great retelling, cute illustrations, very fun quick read. :) Much humor. I approve. *nod*

[Jose]

Ojalá haberle dado una oportunidad a libros así de pequeño...
Lo leí con mi hija y que maravilla, lo disfrutamos mucho.
Ursula Vernon, estoy dentro

[Stephanie]

I really liked Book 1 in this series, but I LOVE Book 2, Of Mice and Magic! The plot is much tighter than Book 1, and the whole thing is a wildly creative, funny and empowering adventure based on the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

In this version, the princesses are saved not by a soldier who gets to make his choice among them but by fierce, sturdy Harriet the formerly-invincible hamster princess, who gallops in on her riding quail, Mumfrey, looks at the way the dancing princesses' father has treated them (locking them in their room overnight, etc) with a VERY skeptical eye, and helps them all figure out what THEY want to do next with their lives, as well as saving them from their curse. And it's just so funny throughout! I devoured it in an afternoon and laughed out loud again and again at the fabulous humor.

Then I read it to my seven-year-old, who LOVED it, demanded more and more pages of it every night, and then immediately wanted to re-read Book 1.

And neither of us can't wait for Book 3! Needless to say, we pre-ordered it.

Hooray for hilarious, snarky hamster princesses and their riding-quail companions!

[Wendi Lee]

After just the first few pages, I was enchanted by Princess Harriet, a hamster who goes on adventures and fight ogres rather than succumb to expectations of what she's meant to do/be. I didn't read the first book in the series; apparently this is a trend with me and elementary chapter books - I just blindly grab one and start reading. But the previous book's plot was clearly (and succinctly) explained, and Princess Harriet herself was a showstopper of a main character. A perfect blend of snark and rebellion, all the makings of a fine heroine. I will definitely go back and read the first book, and I'd like to start collecting these for my daughter.

[Mary Catelli]

The return of Princess Harriet, still the typical rebellious princess with a quirky interest in fractions -- no longer cursed and so no longer invincible. It opens with her bored because of things like ogres taking up vegetarianism to avoid her.

She meets a shrew by the side of the road -- an old frail shrew inexplicably miles from settlements and without a shadow. Harriet manages the politeness bit until the fairy reveals the truth -- and then eventually has to bribe her with a cupcake to learn the story of the curse on the twelve dancing mouse princesses. Harriet thinks that maybe they just like to dance, so the shrew fairy has to reveal that there is some peril to her own kingdom if she doesn't break it.

It involves moles forced not to dig, a princess who wants to be a florist, a prince working as a stableboy, a library organized by color (you know how people talk of their favorite fictional library? This would be the opposite), lead underwear, a perfect match, large amounts of weaponized paint and more.

[haispeace]

Absolutamente asombrosa como siempre. Si hubiera tenido la oportunidad de leer estos libros de niña habría estado obsesionada.

Las aventuras de Harriet son una pasada - ojalá poder vivirlas con ella. Me encanta el mensaje que hacen llegar y que se condene el matrimonio infantil 🤭

[Kathleen]

Of Mice and Magic follows up where Harriet the Invincible leaves off. Harriet, no longer so invincible thanks to the events of book one and hilariously bitter about it, sets off with her battle quail Mumfrey to find something to do because she is so bored, you guys, SO BORED. Happily for Harriet she encounters a little old shrew requesting food and water-- on the side of the road six hours' walk from the nearest village. Naturally, Harriet realizes that the shrew is a fairy, so she politely shares her lunch and Mumfrey's cupcake (see above about hilarious bitterness) and gets, in return, a quest.

The twelve mouse princesses of the nearby mouse kingdom dance through their shoes every night, and the king is offering half his kingdom and a daughter in marriage to whoever can tell him where the girls go at night. For anyone familiar with the Twelve Dancing Princesses, it's pretty obvious where the story is going, but that's not a downside at all. Harriet has her own particular spin on things, and, with the help of Wilbur from the first book and one of the princesses, she defeats not only the person who's ensorceled the girls but also the mouse king, who is a pretty weird and creepy person himself. Wonderful book, great illustrations, 100% A++ would love again. Definitely recommended, but I also recommend you read the first book first. And then once you're done with Of Mice and Magic, start on Dragonbreath. And then Castle Hangnail and Digger and Nurk and the T. Kingfisher books and...

Just go find Ursula Vernon stuff, guys. You won't regret it.

[Lata]

Harriet is at it again, breaking curses and calculating the fractional improvements to a plan. This time, she must figure out why twelve mouse princesses wear out their dancing shoes every night. Harriet must use her brains, a special cloak and the help of her friend Prince Wilbur to solve the problem and save the mouse kingdom and her own. While evading her mother's attempts to make her a proper princess.

[Panda Incognito]

Harriet the Hamster takes on "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." I wish this had existed when I was twelve, because it would have made my fractured-fairy-tale-loving soul inordinately happy. Thankfully, I didn't really grow up, so it can still bring great joy into my life. Highly recommended.

[Jamie Dacyczyn]

Another cute and hilarious installment in this comic novel series for middle readers.

[Chinook]

I adore Harriet. She’s so full of snark and smarts. The combination of writings and illustrations works really well and the plot recreates the fairy tale in such a fun way.

[Brenda]

I had the pleasure of reading the first installment of the Hamster Princess series, Harriet the Invincible last year. Princess Harriet turned out not to be your typical princess. In the first book, Harriet found out that an evil fairy had placed a curse on her so that on her twelveth birthday she would prick her finger causing everyone in the castle to fall hopelessly asleep. Instead of being distraught, Harriet found this news exciting, because until she pricks her finger, she would also be invincible and she was determined to use this invincibility to her advantage by having grand adventures. In of Mice and Magic, the second book in the Hamster Princess series, Princess Harriet no longer has her invincibility and life has become very dull and boring, that is until she meets a shrew on the side of the road who tells her about a curse on twelve mice princesses who are forced to dance their nights away wearing down their shoes and angering their father the king. Eager for some more adventure, Harriet rides off on her trusty quail to help break the curse. I've really been enjoying Ursula Vernon's fairy-tale retellings with Harriet and the clever twists that she brings to them. In this particular book, the mice king offers half his kingdom and one of his daughter's in marriage, which isn't exactly what Harriet is after, instead she plans to teach the king a little lesson by showing him just what girls/heroes can do. Vernon's books are always nicely illustrated with just the right mix of text to illustrations and I like that you can pick up and read any of the books in this series in any order you want. Plus they're darn funny. I'm looking forward to the next installment, Ratpunzel.

[Christine Samhain]

This book was really good. The characters were awesome and funny. It mad me happy when the mice princesses and moles stood up for themselves and their future against their parents. This book inspires me to stand up for myself when I'm in one of theses type of problems.

[Dani(elle)]

Random great things about this book:

- Poncho of invisibility
- Harriet's continued love of fractions
- Harriet's continued brush off of gender norms and heteronormativity
- Harriet's "I was promised a princess, I'm taking this one" moment
- cliff diving

[Linda Quinn]

I really love this new series. Harriet the Hamster Princess is full of wit, wisdom and sarcasm as she valiantly goes forth to fight evil.....what could be better?

[Jesa Burgoyne]

Believathon II
Prompt: The Book-Keeper's Stronghold, read the next book in a series.

[Alice]

A kind friend sent me this because I mentioned that a nine-year-old of my acquaintance would enjoy it. She did, and lent it back to me so I could enjoy it too. A great twist on the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy-tale, which makes some excellent points about free will and feminism while poking fun at the conventions of the genre. And it stars a kickass hamster. You can't ask for more than that.

[Ellie Mackin]

Another wonderful book from the ever brilliant Ursula Vernon. The characters are so well developed, the plot is clever, the humour is infectious and the way it sounds out loud is second to none.

[Nicole (bookwyrm)]

Super cute chapter book retelling the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale. Mumfrey the Battle Quail was one of the highlights of this book for me, though I really enjoyed the whole thing. It's a very clever book with great illustrations.

[Audrey S]

actual rating: 4.25 stars

I'm having a great time with this adorable middle grade series

[Carrie]

Absolutely hysterical

[Amanda R Sims]

Loved this one! Twist on Twelve Dancing Princesses, which is my favorite fairy tale 💖

[Lśniący]

Ocena: 8.5/10

[DaNae]

Just a hilarious and feminist voice in this retelling of the twelve dancing princesses.

[Lacey Louwagie]

Just as much fun as Harriet the Invincible.

I recently re-read the 12 Dancing Princess (which this story retells), and was struck by how, even though the story is named for the titular women, all of whom presumably have their own lives, the story really revolves around the guy who creeps on them trying to figure out where they go at night. The story is about him, not the cursed princesses.

In Vernon's version, Harriet stands in for the gardener who saves the day -- so while she still takes center stage, at least a story ostensibly about 12 women doesn't inadvertently end up being about one man. Also, the princesses in the story are given some real "page-time" and personalities and desires of their own, all of which are improvements over the original. Prose is funny and smart and artwork is charming.

[Becky]

First sentence: Once upon a time, in a kingdom just over the next hill, there lived a fierce warrior hamster named Harriet Hamsterbone.

Premise/plot: Though no longer invincible Harriet still loves adventure. She seeks it out even. This second adventure has her doing a prince's job. She will seek the answer to a mystery in a nearby mouse kingdom, a mystery involving twelve princesses with worn out dancing shoes. Her secret weapon might be an invisiblility poncho that will allow her to do some spying!

My thoughts: Hamsters and mice and moles, oh my! I really loved this one! Harriet and Wilbur are back and we get to make friends with new characters as well, such as August and Gemini! This fantasy and adventure novel is just charming. I'd recommend it to almost any family, but readers should know that just as there are spells and curses and charms in Disney movies, this series has them as well.

[Jasmine]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous one, but that is exactly the fault of the weather. (It is so hot and everything is miserable here.)

It was still fun to see the mice princesses make it to freedom, and it's a joy to see our friends from the last book continue to cliff dive and find romance (in the case of Humphry the battle quail) and have financial problems, etc.

I seem to have a weakness for kids books about power struggles and autonomy and financial problems. There are worse weaknesses.

[Kristen]

Seriously, where were these books when I was a kid? I struggled through mandatory school reading (sometimes slacking off completely and faking my way through reports and tests) because nothing held my interest for very long. If these books had been around, I wouldn't have been able to put them down.
I'm not sure how little boys would feel about reading about a hamster princess....but this series is darn near perfect for little girls who aren't very motivated to read. And even better for little girls who love to read!

[Linda]

Attention young fans of fractured fairy tales!

In this episode, a snarky hamster princess who prefers fighting ogres and dragons over doing more traditional princessy things sets off to rescue 12 dancing mice princesses.

Volume 2 of the Hamster Princess series is more organized than the first book of the series (which had more setup needed to kick things off).

I especially liked how the princesses and the other fairy tale characters were fleshed out with their own personalities, especially August and Gemini.