The Princess Rules Books in Order

The Princess Rules books are light hearted chapter books for children, but they carry the same sideways look at power and expectation that runs through Philippa Gregory’s adult novels. Here the stage is a fairy tale kingdom and the heroine is Princess Florizella, who knows from an early age that the official rules for princesses make no sense at all.

In Florizella’s world there is a written list of “Princess Rules” that says girls must wear tiny shoes, eat tiny meals and wait politely to be rescued, while princes are handed a “Prince Permit” that allows them to do almost anything. Florizella would rather ride her horse Jellybean across the countryside, carry a dagger in her boot and rescue people herself. Her best friend is Prince Bennett, who gradually realises that the permit he was so proud of is deeply unfair.

The first book, The Princess Rules, gathers three adventures originally published as separate picture books about Princess Florizella. The stories play with familiar elements such as dragons, balls and giants, but twist them so that Florizella solves problems with courage, kindness and common sense rather than by waiting for a kiss.

It’s a Prince Thing turns the spotlight on Florizella’s baby brother, Prince Courier, and digs deeper into the idea of privilege. When a new heir arrives and everyone assumes he will outrank his sister, the children begin to question why boys and girls are treated so differently and look for fairer ways to share work and adventure.

In The Mammoth Adventure Florizella, Bennett and Courier set out to free a lonely sea serpent from a shabby travelling show and then rescue a mute bear from pirates, with the reluctant help of an overworked fairy godmother. Both stories underline the series themes of friendship, responsibility and standing up for creatures who cannot defend themselves.

The tone is warm and funny, with plenty of slapstick and wordplay for young readers, but the books still ask big questions about rules, fairness and who gets to decide what a princess – or a prince – is allowed to be.