Book Review - 'The Princess and the Wizard' by Julia Donaldson (Writer), Lydia Monks (Illustrator)

2025 REREAD: Unfortunately, I now find this to be shallow and babyish, with not good art. There are many plot holes, even for a children's picture book. There is noticeable cheating with set magical rules at the end, too, which I won't reveal due to spoilers. Still, little kids are sure to enjoy it. Plus, the princess in this fairy tale doesn't need a prince to save her (although she is only seven-years-old).

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



A sparkly, colourful fairy tale and fantasy children's picture book. A princess who learns and develops in order to escape her captor by herself, using the help given to her by her incapacitated fairy godmother? Fancy that!

I guess that's the reason why I like 'The Princess and the Wizard' more than Julia Donaldson's most famous work, 'The Gruffalo' - it's feminist, intentional or not.

Poor young Princess Eliza, with her fairy godmother's magic, turns herself into various colourful animals whenever the wizard gives her her seven chances to escape his castle (he owns a rhyming magical book which tells him where she is every time, so he isn't utterly stupid). This reminded me of 'The Sword and the Stone'. And the wizard being angry and setting forth the plot at the beginning because he wasn't invited to Eliza's birthday party is 'Sleeping Beauty'-ish.

The story itself is fun, and Eliza proves to be a proactive and smart heroine overtime (her seven-days deadline, to be exact) in this 30-page tale. The only real downside is the wizard is such a one-dimensional villain, even by the standards of children's picture books, and he doesn't receive any punishment for everything he's done in the end. He turns Eliza's family and fairy godmother to stone, for pete's sake!

It's nice and heartwarming, still.

I'd like to see 'The Princess and the Wizard' adapted into something, and expanded on a lot more. It'd make a great kid's film, especially for girls who like princesses with no princes; who work hard to save themselves. By adapting to and changing herself - externally and internally - depending on her circumstances and environment.

Final Score: 4/5