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A curse causes a princess to have no gravity, but the help of a prince brings her back down to earth.Amazon.com Review
The fact that George MacDonald--a scholar as well as apreacher and writer--once read this fairy tale to his students insteadof giving them a lecture says volumes about the man and hisbeliefs. It also says much about his faith in the power ofstories. The Light Princess is a simple enough tale, clearlywritten for children--a princess at her christening is cursed by awicked witch with lightness (she floats blissfully about the castleall day long, and gets into all sorts of adventures, as one can easilyimagine)--yet it holds a powerful spiritual truth. Gravity, weight,sorrow, suffering--all of this the princess misses, but with all ofthese she misses love, for what is love without weight, without body? What is love without falling? She discovers this truth, of course,only at the last minute when a faithful prince loves her enough to diefor her.

Sometimes it's not a ponderous lecture--or sermon--thatwe need in order to experience what incarnation is about. --DougThorpe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Very Original, and some Darn Good Writing
The Light Princess has every element that a good fairy tale should have: tragedy, love, good, evil, magic, charm and a happy ending. I'm sure there's more. The book does seem to be a bit more geared towards girls than boys since the premise of the book seems to be more or less that love conquers all, and the book lacks the bravado that boys seem to enjoy. Nonetheless, the book is well written, original in my opinion and well worth the effort to read even if you're an adult.

The book is about a princess who has a curse placed on her at birth; a curse that renders her weightless and hence, not prone to the laws of gravity. Another side effect of this curse is her tendency to laugh towards anything, no matter how serious or unfunny the circumstance may be. And so, the curse goes on into adulthood with the princess pleasantly adapting to her circumstances, and her parents not so pleasantly adapting to her circumstances as they do learn to cope, but try everything to break the curse. Along her journeys, the princess meets a prince who falls deeply in love with her. I won't say how, but his love of her, and then, her love of him ends up breaking the princess' curse. The prince also ends up being the remedy to the princess' incessant laughing.

The ending is very typical of fairy tales, but the road to it is very uniquely carved out and deserving of praise. I hope you give this book a try.

Darien Summers, author of The Mischievous Hare, a children's book.

Enlightening!
This is a fun read and a GREAT Read-aloud to your kids. It can also spark some good conversations - as all of his books do!

a great, favorite parable
this is one of my favourite macdonald's stories. i love the symbolism, but i also love it as a simple fairytale. the prince's love, that almost led him to his death, was so sweet and true, it portrayed Jesus' love so strongly, so colorfully.... i have read and told this story more times than i can remember.

Great edition of a classic fairy tale
This is a paperback copy of George MacDonald's fairy tale The Light Princess. There are black and white illustrations by Maurice Sendak throughout. The quality of the book is excellent, with a nice, glossy cover and good page density. The illustrations are well-printed and the book is nicely bound. It makes a great edition to any library, though I wish they offered a hardcover version.

A nice story for young children
This fairy tale by George MacDonald is about a charming, but bewitched Princess, a Prince in disguise, some nice fairies, and one very bad one.It is easy to like the main characters.Children will enjoy the fact that the adults are rather foolish and even the bad witch is not really scary.This is a nice story for parents to read to young children and then discuss behaviors and conduct.

Richard Pendleton ... Read more

Product Description
Six magical, fantasy tales from two major award-winning authors The shriek of the wind, calling the waters to rebel - and a silver man from the sea with a voice like the roar of a seashell...A long-told story of the sea people and their song - and a golden eye, glittering in a pool at the edge of a desert...A ferocious serpent, its body as thick as the trunk of a large tree - and the immense, unknowable Kraken, dark beyond black, cold beyond ice, waking on the ocean floor...A mesmerising collection of short stories inspired by the element of Water - readers will be swept away by the superb storytelling skills of two major award-winning authors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tales from a Magical World
I just finished reading this compilation of stories and I LOVED IT.

They were all great short stories that stood alone well, tales of magick and adventure.

The very best part was the last story which is set in Robin McKinley's world of Damar, familiar from her books The Hero and The Crown and The Blue Sword.

On the bookjacket, it was said that there would be more books written in this series. I can't wait! ... Read more

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A biography of the twenty-fifth president of the United States, discussing his personal life, education, and political career. ... Read more

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A young girl doesn't remember her father, a ship's captain who has been at sea. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must have for all parents!
Never has such a simple book touch me so!This book takes us into the sadness of a little girl, afraid that she has forgotten her father, and lifts us up with her joy as she realizes that the heart never forgets!A must have for any parent whose children face separation, for whatever reason! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (134)

"They Do Not Suffer Less Because They Have No Words..."
Animal books that are told from the creature's point of view (whether cat, dog, horse, or some other species entirely) are a dime a dozen these days, but "Black Beauty," was the first book of its kind to use this technique and is thus the forerunner to all animal stories that came after it. Most people are unaware that Anna Sewell broke new literary ground when she wrote "Black Beauty" in the style of an autobiography, though ironically she never meant it to be a children's story at all. Instead she intended that it would be read by those that work with horses: "to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses."

Beauty is one of several names given to the horse that grows throughout the story from a young colt in a farmyard to an elderly stallion enjoying his retirement, chronicling all his experiences in between, both good and bad. These include being the horse of a squire, a cabby, a gentleman and a cart driver among others, as well as events that are probably known even to those who haven't read the book, such as the fire in the barn and the washed-out bridge.

Throughout his life he meets several other horses such as cheerful Merrylegs and feisty Ginger who recount their stories to him; and it's difficult not to get a little choked up when it comes to Ginger and her tragic tale, especially when she tells Beauty at their final meeting: "you are the only friend I ever had." For many children, Ginger's story may well have been their first experience with the portrayal of death in a story - I know it was mine, and I never forgot it.

Since being published in 1877, the story has lost none of its power, and the image of a black horse with a white star on his forehead is universally recognized as the iconic Black Beauty. Not only this, but the novel is credited with driving the bearing rein out of fashion, a device that was popular in the Victorian age but which damaged horses' necks by forcing them upright at an unnatural angle, and is also believed to have made a difference in reducing the taxicab licence fee of the time, (something that was often exploited by those that hired out cabbies to drivers), not to mention heightening the awareness of animal cruelty at a time when animal welfare simply didn't exist.

As such "Black Beauty" can be described as the first animal rights book, told in first-person narrative from the (literal) horse's mouth, criticizing things such as docking (that is, cutting off horse's tails), the aforementioned bearing reins, and the long, hard hours of work that horses had to endure. The trick of it though, is that the issues never seem particularly moralizing or heavy-handed because it's all told by the horses themselves. It doesn't take much of a stretch of the imagination to assume that if horses were capable of talking to each other, they would discuss the cruelties and kindnesses that human beings mete out upon them.

This is effectively portrayed by the sheer confusion of the animals as to why humans act in certain ways; such as Beauty pondering why human beings endanger both themselves and their horses in fox hunting, or why so much pain is inflicted on animals for the sake of fashion, asking: "What right have they to torment and disfigure God's creatures?" Likewise, the first-person narrative gives a perspective on the life of a horse that had probably never occurred to Sewell's original audience (or indeed, her first-time contemporary readers), has when Beauty discusses how it feels to wear a bit:

"Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot think how bad it feels. A great piece of cold hard steel as thick as a man's finger is pushed into one's mouth, between one's teeth and over one's tongue. It ends come out at the corner of your mouth and are held fast there by straps over your head, under your throat, round your nose, and under your chin, so that in no way in the world can you get rid of the nasty hard thing."

Towards the end of the book, it does start to get slightly more preachy, mainly due to the fact that Sewell begins to dwell on issues such as alcohol, elections and religion that have no bearing on the horses at all, but are merely being discussed by the humans around them. However, this aspect is thankfully minor and doesn't detract too much from Beauty's own story.

I have a particular soft-spot for "Black Beauty" considering Anna Sewell is lurking up in my family tree somewhere (on my grandmother's side), and the fact that the memories of reading this book as a child have always stayed with me. This is an essential book for any children's library in order to cultivate empathy for the animal kingdom, but is also valuable reading for an adult as well, not just for the ur-example of an animal tale, but as a thoughtful, bittersweet and well-researched look into the life of man's second-best friend.

Seems good, like many others
A worthwhile read for kids, tho my grandchildren didn't seem interested in this and other books I got them.

READ THIS BOOK
I didn't read the audio book but I read the novel. This book was excellent, it definatly belongs up there with all the classic novels. It makes you think about all the horrible things some horses go through in their lifetimes(like my own horse). No animal deserves abuse or mistreatment no matter how intelligent(horses) or not.

FYI, Orrin C. Judd, horses are NOT STUPID!!!! Scientific research has recently discovered that horses' intelligence is the same as dolphins' and chimps' and we all know that dolphins' and chimps' intelligence is extremely close to our own. Research also suggests that horses may actually be smarter and more intelligent and have a more complex reasoning system than could have ever been thought. Of course, horses don't think exactly like humans: they don't judge, they don't hate, they don't lie, they don't cheat; they are honest, loyal, loving and brave-provided they have a person who cares about them, they are all these things and more. It doesn't take a genius to see that horses have very complex personalities and emotions. Sometimes I think my own horse's personality and emotions mirror my own.
And all you kids out there who have read or want to read this book, don't listen to this guy. Take it seriously, because mistreatment of any animal is no joke, its a very sesious problem, because people who hurt other people usually start by hurting an animal.

P.S. Obviously, Orrin C. Judd never even read the summary for The Black Stallion, because it's about a BOY and a horse, written by Walter Farley, a man who LOVED horses.

I recommend ANY horse or animal lover who cares at all about the abuse animals suffer to READ THIS BOOK!!! The abuse animals and people suffer everyday is a very, VERY serious problem, and one we need to think more about. Animals are such innocent creatures, why should they have to suffer for our own ignorance and superior feelings of ourselves?

Horse lovers classic
It's kind of sad that we have passed that period of time when every little girl was obsessed with this book. Ah, that glory time of girls and horses! Even so, Black Beauty continues to endure as a classic in my mind of both decent anthropomorphism and great Victorian writing.

In the tradition of great animal classics, this story is written from the perspective of the horse, called, among other names, Black Beauty. This strong horse of the most delightful British personality leads a life full of change that ranges from the best of circumstances to the worst.

Without being overly dramatic or adventuresome, the story still remains gripping due to the sparkling narritive and the fact that we just want to know what happens to the poor horsie.

A classic for all horse lovers.

Beautiful
I read this book a while back when my husband, a horse lover, introduced me to it. A great tale of the life of a horse that teaches values to anyone who reads it. I have learned much about these beautiful animals and can see why my husband loves them. Strongly recommended for your children, you and they will love it.

Anna del C.
Author of "The Elf and the Princess"
and "Trouble in the Elf City"
The Elf and The Princess: The Silent Warrior Trilogy - Book One (The Silent Warrior Trilogy) ... Read more

Product Description
This is nonfiction commentary. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: The Outlaws of Sherwood, Chalice, Beauty: a Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, Sunshine, Spindle's End. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: The Outlaws of Sherwood is a retelling of the legend of Robin Hood by Robin McKinley. published by Greenwillow Books in 1988 and Ace Fantasy in 1989. The story includes both the traditional Robin Hood charactersLittle John, Friar Tuck, Allan-a-Dale, etc, and some of McKinley's own invention. Important elements, used by others in telling the story, are also used by McKinleyRobin Hood's first meeting with Little John, the archery contest in Nottingham, robbing the unjustly rich to help the poorbut she tells each of these in her own way. Much attention is paid to the motivations and thoughts of the characters. Three of the most important characters are women, and all of them escape marriage to prospective spouses chosen for economic or political reasons by their fathers. As might be expected when the subject matter is such a well loved and widely retold legend, it is not hard to find reviews that take issue with this particular approach. A cursory search will show, however, that it is widely viewed as an enjoyable and interesting retelling (see reviews in External Links). McKinley adds an Afterword, describing the history of the tales of Robin Hood. She writes "the retellings through the centuries have echoed concurrent preoccupations." The book open when Robin is on his way to meet his friends Marian, a noblewoman, and Much, the miller's son, at the Nottingham Fair. Robin serves as a king's forester in Sherwood forest and fletches arrows to make enough income to keep his holding. Robin is just a mediocre archer - his father Robert was much better, and Robin feels he doe...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=18248248 ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Robin McKinley (born November 16, 1952 as Jennifer Carolyn Robin McKinley) is a fantasy author. She was awarded the 1985 Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown, the 1983 Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword , the 2004 Mythopoeic Award for Adult Literature for Sunshine, the 1986 World Fantasy Award for Imaginary Lands, and the 1998 Phoenix Award honor Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast. She has also written Spindle's End, The Outlaws of Sherwood, Rose Daughter, A Knot in the Grain: And Other Stories, Deerskin, Sunshine, Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, Dragonhaven, Chalice and most recently, Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits. ... Read more

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This digital document, covering the life and work of (Jennifer) (Carolyn) Robin McKinley, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 4954 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

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This study of fantasy author Robin McKinley is the first full-length, in-depth analysis of the author's works, including her award-winning books The Hero and the Crown (Newberry Medal, 1985) and The Blue Sword (Newbery Honor, 1983). ... Read more