The Ordinary Princess
Recommended. Age: 8+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
This is a fairy tale about the worth of a plain, hardworking girl. Amy earns her keep, enjoys simple things, and is loved for who she is, and the story ends in marriage. The one reservation is that she solves her trouble by climbing out a window and running away from her parents, who planned a foolish trick to marry her off.
For parents
Read aloud from 6, independent reading from 8 or 9. Good Books for Catholic Kids lists it for 8 to 9. The magic is fairy godmothers at a christening, story-world magic only. Ask why being ordinary turned out to be a gift. Ask whether Amy was right to run away without telling her parents.