The Ordinary Princess...

The Ordinary Princess is the story of Amethyst--otherwise known as Amy--a princess who is given the gift of "ordinariness" by a fairy at her christening.

This was one of my favorite books as a child--and even now I still find this story enchanting. Sarah purchased a copy for Elizabeth a few years ago, and now she too, shares a love for this classic, simple fairy story. The black & white sketches that accompany the author's delightful text are beautiful in their simplicity & only serve to make the story spring more fully to life.

If you haven't yet read this story, you should really try to track down a copy to read to that special little girl in your life. Or...find a copy for yourself. Because no matter how old you are, and no matter what anyone says, you can never be too old for a good fairy tale.

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Old Crustacea put out a long bony finger and touched the seventh princess's pink cheek. Then she looked at the King and Queen and the resplendent guests and the six little sister princesses, each more beautiful than the last, and finally she looked at the huge pile of glittering presents and the long list that the Lord High Chamberlain had made of the gifts bestowed by the other fairies.

"Hmm!" said the Fairy Crustacea. "Wit, Charm, Courage, Health, Wisdom, Grace...Good gracious, poor child! Well, thank goodness my magic is stronger than anyone else's."

She raised her twisty coral stick and waved it three times over the cradle of the seventh princess. "My child," said the Fairy Crustacea, "I am going to give you something that will probably bring you more happiness than all these fal-lals and fripperies put together.

You shall be Ordinary!"

~excerpt from The Ordinary Princess
written & illustrated by M.M. Kaye