The Princess and the Witch - by Nancy Schimmel (Paperback)

About the Book

"Margaret, princess of Northumbria, wakes up one morning to find she has been changed into a dragon. She doesn't know why or how, but she heard in a dream that her brother, now in a faraway land, must kiss her to break the spell. But how can she tell him this? She can only screech and roar. Won't he think he must kill the dragon to save her? Then she remembers a story her cousin told her. And when Margaret is a princess again, will she be satisfied with the quiet life of the castle, or will she be off on a quest to save her brother from a mysterious illness? And will her dragon side help her or get her in trouble?"--

Book Synopsis

Taking cues from Arthurian tales and folklore, Schimmel gives modern day readers heroines whose adventures earn them the right to live their own lives free of male--and royal--expectations.

Margaret, princess of Northumbria, wakes up one morning to find she has been changed into a dragon. She doesn't know why or how, but she heard in a dream that her brother, now in a faraway land, must kiss her to break the spell.

But how can she tell him this? She can only screech and roar. Won't he think he must kill the dragon to save her? Then she remembers a story her cousin told her.

And when Margaret is a princess again, will she be satisfied with the quiet life of the castle, or will she be off on a quest to save her brother from a mysterious illness? And will her dragon side help her or get her in trouble?

Review Quotes

"A highly original tale, woven from a multitude of traditional folkloric elements and told in the cadence of an accomplished storyteller. Readers will be quickly captivated by the classic appeal of a princess in peril, and their interest will be unwavering through the courageous adventures of the cast of colorful characters . . ."--Starr LaTronica, former President of the Association for Library Service for Children

"Nancy Schimmel has written an enchanting story which will delight all readers who love magic, witches, and dragons. The novel is chock full of beautiful ballads, powerful women who can cast spells, and adventurous girls who travel for the sake of saving lives. Best of all, The Princess and the Witch features characters who give gifts and share knowledge; this is a tale of empowerment and joy."--Lucy Jane Bledsoe, author of Tell the Rest and No Stopping Us Now

About the Author

Nancy Schimmel started telling and reading stories to children as a summer camp counselor when she was in high school and college. After becoming a children's librarian, she became a traveling storyteller, song-leader, and teacher of storytelling for children and adults. She was a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, TN. She wrote a how-to book, Just Enough to Make a Story: A Sourcebook for Storytelling. While on the road, she started to write songs, as her mother, Malvina Reynolds of "Little Boxes" fame, had done. Her 1992 album for children, All in This Together, won a Parents' Choice Award, and another, Head First and Belly Down, was an American Library Association notable recording. She spent her tween and teen years in Long Beach, California, where she climbed the cliffs and rocks by the ocean. She now lives in Berkeley, California.