Begin with the first fairy mistake
Start with The Fairy's Mistake, a funny reversal of Diamonds and Toads that establishes the kingdom and its well-meaning fairy.
Book Series · 6 Books
The Princess Tales Books
In order from The Fairy's Mistake to The Fairy's Return.
Six short fairy-tale retellings turn familiar curses, royal tests, and happily-ever-afters into playful stories about clever children making their own choices.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read The Princess Tales
Read the six short books in the author's listed order, beginning with The Fairy's Mistake and ending with The Fairy's Return. Each retells a different tale and can stand alone, but the shared kingdom and recurring fairy connect the collection.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The stories play with traditional fairy-tale dangers, including curses, forced marriage, cruel or foolish royals, giants, kidnapping, transformations, and threats of violence. The tone is comic and the endings are reassuring rather than frightening.
Levine's heroines and heroes question unfair rules and solve problems through persistence and independent thinking. The short length makes these approachable for readers moving into chapter books.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$1398
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1999
The Fairy's Mistake
By Gail Carson Levine, Mark Elliott (Illustrator)
Two sisters face magical consequences, while a prince's love defies royal tests.
87 pages· 7,898 words· Est. 1 hour read
$14.99Save 7%
Hardcover
Summary: In 'The Fairy's Mistake,' sisters Rosella and Myrtle face unexpected outcomes from a fairy's gifts, leading to a twist of fate. Meanwhile, in 'The Princess Test,' Prince Nicholas must choose a bride through impossible trials, but his heart belongs to Lorelei, a blacksmith's daughter. Can true love overcome magical mishaps and royal challenges?
In reading order
The Princess Tales Series
6 books · Published 1999–2002
#1
Sale price
$1398
The Fairy's Mistake
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1999
Two sisters face magical consequences, while a prince's love defies royal tests.
#2
Sale price
$1597
The Princess Test
Chapter Book · Ages 8–11 · 1999
Two sisters face unexpected fates from a fairy's gifts, while a prince's love defies royal tests.
#3
Sale price
$1248
Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1999
A twisted fairy tale with unexpected princes and magical surprises.
#4
Sale price
$1597
Cinderellis and the Glass Hill
Chapter Book · Ages 8–11 · 2000
A boy with magical powders seeks to win a princess who thinks he's a monster.
#5
Sale price
$1498
For Biddle's Sake
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2002
A prince must ally with a toad to save his kingdom from chaos and deceit.
#6
Sale price
$1415
The Fairy's Return
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2002
A baker's son and a princess defy royal decrees and tangled betrothals in a whimsical quest for love.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Princess Tales series?
There are 6 books in the Princess Tales series. It began with The Fairy's Mistake in 1999, and the newest book, For Biddle's Sake, was published in 2002.
What order should you read the Princess Tales books in?
Start with The Fairy's Mistake and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #6.
What ages are the Princess Tales books best for?
The series is best for ages 8–12, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring The Princess Tales to life.
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