 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Princess Ben
- By Catherine Murdock
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Bewitching tale with a refreshingly real heroine.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there is romance and some historical violence in this novel. More importantly the novel deals with body image, societal pressures, magic, and parental death. None of the violence is graphic and the author approaches parental death with sensitivity.
What's the story?
Princess Ben was a plump and content princess with a wonderful family that kept her shielded from the royal court. When her parents and the king die mysteriously, Ben is at the mercy of her aunt, Queen Sophia, and the invading army of a neighboring kingdom.
Is it any good?
Catherine Murdock joins the ranks of writers who seek to reinvent the fairytale genre with wit, fun, and a dash of feminism. Indeed, Princess Ben is a real girl's princess; she sulks, gets angry, has no time for the foolishness of Queen Sophia's "lessons," and is far from the willowy thin princesses of other stories (the girl likes her treacle tart). She holds her own destiny in her hands, and her evolution from sheltered, indulged child to selfless, proactive ruler gives this tale a modern edge.
Beyond the fantastic heroine, there are so many adventures, surprises, and plot twists that readers won't be able to put the book down. If they can get past the sometimes overly flowery language, readers and parents alike will love Ben's story.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how difficult it is to change your opinion of someone, particularly from bad to good. Ben's opinion of Queen Sophia was negatively influenced by her mother. Have you ever had another person's influence affect your thoughts about someone?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
A clever find for readers of all ages
I loved this book! It felt like a classic fairy tale with modern attitude. The main character isn't perfect and her flaws are very relatable. She is a great role model for girls because she doesn't aim for the beauty and popularity of today. Overall, the story was very clever and I enjoyed reading every minute of it.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
It was O.K.
I thought this book was a big disapointment, considering her other two books were amazing...i would definately reccomend Dairy Farm and The Off Season (her other books) more than this book.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Fairy tale fun
This was on our "young adult" list, but I don't know why as I found nothing objectionable. It was slow starting, but I ended up enjoying it. The themes are good, but the "voice" was a bit annoying to me.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Great for girls of any age
I thought this book was fantastic. An enjoyable fantasy novel and coming of age story, the main character is strong, yet easy to identify with and matures a lot throughout the story. It also incorporates strong messages about positive body image, maturity, and understanding others, without over-emphasizing them to the point of being annoying.
The story has a decent amount of plot twists, a good portion of humour, and some exciting adventure. And I can't say how much I enjoyed having a female main character who stands up for herself, but at the same time, can admit when she's wrong and tries to do better.
I bought this book for my neice, but I fell in love with it myself. I'd reccomend this for girls of any age.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
good read for mid to older teens
I found this book a very exciting and unusual read.I only had a problem with one part, when a friend of the prince talks about his lover and her bed. Its not graphic and only hints but it's still wrong.
Only children who fully understand why, and believe. that you shouldn't have premarital sex, should read this..
There were a lot of words that I didn't recognize so if your planning to read this keep a dictionary at hand.
I loved it!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I really loved this book. I thought that it was perfectly funny and serous at the same time
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Great Read!
I think this is a great book and didnt really find anything extremely negative about.
Generally, it doesnt deal with too much of the heavy stuff. There is some violence, but the author does not describe it in a way that is overly gory.
I read this book about a year ago and i still remember almost every detail of it...just talking about it makes me want to pick it up again!
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Author: | Catherine Murdock |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Houghton Mifflin Children's Books |
| Publication date: | March 30, 2008 |
| Number of pages: | 344 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 10 |
| Read aloud: | 10 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
Review It
Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already read it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
