10 Fairy Tales Your Little Princess Will Love

I have a little princess that devours fairy tales. She loves the imaginative stories, the noble characters, and the happily ever afters. I don't blame her. Ironically, sometimes the truths about the world can be more clearly seen through imaginative tales. From the youngest of princesses to the oldest, all of the females in my home love to read these stories. They never get old. Here are 10 great fairy tales your little princess will love:

1. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together

 

When my kids were just starting to gain confidence in reading, they loved these "read together" books. Each page has writing with two different colors, and two readers take turns reading to each other. It's a great way to get practice reading aloud without having to read for too long. This fairy tale version will be sure to please your youngest princess as you read some great imaginative tales together.

 

2. Cinderella Stories Around the World (Multicultural Fairy Tales)

Cari Meister brings world culture into the fairy tale realm with her fairy tale series that highlights the common American version of a fairy tale, and then follows it up with similar types of stories common in other parts of the world. Not only are these stories fun to read, they're beautifully illustrated too.

Other titles in this series:

• Little Red Riding Hood Stories Around the World: 3 Beloved Tales (Multicultural Fairy Tales)

• Snow White Stories Around the World: 4 Beloved Tales (Multicultural Fairy Tales)

• Rapunzel Stories Around the World: 3 Beloved Tales (Multicultural Fairy Tales)

• Beauty and the Beast Stories Around the World: 3 Beloved Tales (Multicultural Fairy Tales)

• Hansel and Gretel Stories Around the World: 4 Beloved Tales (Multicultural Fairy Tales)

3. Never Girls #1: In a Blink (Disney: The Never Girls)

 

This series is one that my youngest first picked up and read to herself. This was a huge accomplishment, because so many books were overwhelming and intimidating for her to read. She loved the fairy stories, and she loved that there was a series of stories to read once she finished the first one.

Find the rest of the series here!

 

4. Tuesdays at the Castle

 

In this cute fairy tale, a young princess lives in a castle that is magical. Each day it does something curious like grow a new wing or hall or ballroom. As the castle continues to grow, Princess Celie takes the time to map out it's changes. When her family goes missing, she puts her castle knowledge to the test as she helps defend the castle and save the kingdom.

Other titles in this series:

• Wednesdays in the Tower

• Thursdays with the Crown

• Fridays with the Wizards

• Saturdays at Sea

5. Princess Academy

 

This timeless tale of a common young maiden having the opportunity to train to be a princess is sure to capture the hearts of your young princess. When Miri finds out that the prince will choose a bride from among her village people, she must decide if she will chase after her dreams, or stay with her family in the village.

Other books in this series:

• Princess Academy: Palace of Stone

 

 

6. A Wrinkle in Time

If the girls in your world are growing tired of the same old fairy tale, A Wrinkle in Time will be sure to awaken their imagination. Nothing is as it seems to be. In this page turner, kids will be on the edge of their seat as they travel through wrinkles in time with this magical tale.

Other titles in this series:

• A Wind in the Door
• A Swiftly Tilting Planet
• Many Waters
• An Acceptable Time

 

7. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

 

Another alternative to the typical fairy tale is the Hero's series by Christopher Healy. Taking the perspective from the unnamed princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Cinderella, and Rapunzel, this fairy tale imagines what happened after the "happily ever after."

Other titles in this series:

• The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle
• The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw

 

8. Ella Enchanted

Gail Carson Levine has to be one of my all time favorite fairy story authors. She has an incredible gift for creatively reworking a classic tale into a new and ingenious story. From the first pages, my kids are drawn into her books and can't put them down. Ella Enchanted is one at the top of my list for its creativity and whit. However, there are so many other wonderful fairy stories that you won't want to miss.

Other titles by Gail Carson Levine:

• Fairest

• The Two Princesses of Bamarre

• The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales

• Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand

9. The Healer's Apprentice

I stumbled across books by Melanie Dickerson in the past year when my daughter was trying to find books for her book of the month club. These fairy tales for teens take an old fairy tale and re-imagine them in fresh new settings. Thankfully, the timeless morals and values stay in tact in these updated tales.

Other titles in this series:

• The Merchant's Daughter

• The Fairest Beauty
• The Captive Maiden
• The Princess Spy

 

10. A Little Princess

Although a classic, A Little Princess is a tale that every young girl can enjoy. Left by her father at a boarding school while he is off at war, young Sara fights to retain the noble character of a princess while others around her sink to the depths of vulgarity. Times get even harder for Sara when her father is listed as "missing in action." She must now work for her room and board as a servant. Even when all hope seems lost, Sara does not let her circumstances bring her down. Her hope that her father will return carries her through dark times. You will want to read to the very end to see how this sweet tale resolves.

Other titles by Frances Hodgson Burnett:

• Little Lord Fauntleroy

• The Secret Garden

It doesn't matter how old you get, you're never too old to enjoy a great fairy tale. Imagination is not only for our kids. As we cultivate a love of imagining in ourselves, we'll easily pass on the riches to our children.

What are some of your favorite fairy tales?