The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (The League of Princes, #1)

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The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (The League of Princes #1)

by Christopher Healy (Goodreads Author), Tod Harris (Illustrations), Todd Harris (Illustrations)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 1,483 ratings · 426 reviews

"The four princes erroneously dubbed Prince Charming and rudely marginalized in their respective fairy tales form an unlikely team when a witch threatens the whole kingdom"--

Hardcover, 419 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Walden Pond Press

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May 23, 2013 Barb Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fairy-tale, humor

Looney Tunes meets the League of Princes Charming (and that isn't a typo). This book reminded me of the cartoons I grew up with the slapstick characters, distinct voices, and nonstop gags. This fractured fairy tale begins with a bang painting the character of Prince Frederic as pompous and fearful along with his girlfriend, Ella (Cinderella), who is spirited and wants adventure. The two argue about how to spend their afternoon. Frederic wants tea and Ella wants adventure; in particular, she want...more

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May 03, 2012 Kellee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, fairy-folk-retellings-or-modern, adventure, fantasy, teach-mentor-texts, website-review-done, my-best-of-2012, nyt-notable-of-2012

Reviewed at: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/2012/...

I LOVE retellings of fairy tales and this one is no exception. And what is even better about this one is it is HILARIOUS! It reminds me a bit of Shrek except I liked the humor in Hero's Guide better because I feel it is a very smart funny. Just the concept is funny and smart- the four Princes Charming from the Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty stories star in this book (unlike the original stories where they don't even get c...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Rachelrennaker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very clever story and hil-air-eee-us! I l really love the strong female characters that -it could be argued- are some of the real hero(ine)s of the story. Looking forward to the sequels!

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May 23, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-literature, fantasy, comedies-funny-stuff, fairytales, magic-witches-wizards, retellings, seriously-series-reading-challenge, young-adult, middle-grade, 2013-reads, 4-stars, dragons, unconventional-hero, reviewed-on-blog

As can be expected by my blog title, I am a huge fan of fairy tales. I love almost everything about them from the dragons to the swashbuckling adventures to the love stories. But, I also understand the limitations of this genre and how underdeveloped the characters can be. That is one of the main reasons why I love fairy tale retellings because it is a way for me to imagine the depths of my favorite stories beyond the classic tales.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a hilarious take on f...more As can be expected by my blog title, I am a huge fan of fairy tales. I love almost everything about them from the dragons to the swashbuckling adventures to the love stories. But, I also understand the limitations of this genre and how underdeveloped the characters can be. That is one of the main reasons why I love fairy tale retellings because it is a way for me to imagine the depths of my favorite stories beyond the classic tales.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a hilarious take on four of the most well-known fairy tales in our culture (Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty) and shows what happens after the happily ever after. Specifically, Christopher Healy focuses on the princes of those tales who have never been given a name beyond the generic Prince Charming. Now, these gentlemen take center stage and show readers that heroes can come with all forms.

My favorite part of this book are the princes. Each of them is well-developed and funny in their own way. Readers get to know more about burly Gustav who resents Rapunzel for saving him from the witch, handsome Liam who isn't so sure he wants to marry Briar Rose after all, quirky Duncan who worships the ground Snow White walks on, and (my personal favorite) Frederic whose dainty ways force Ella to leave him. Each prince has his own reasons to save their kingdoms and it was a treat to watch them interact with each other.

The princesses are also part of the story though they aren't given as much page time as the princes, understandably. I really liked the way that Healy went beyond the typical princess stereotype with Ella, Rapunzel and Snow. Briar Rose, at first, seemed to be a cliched spoiled brat, but she became so delightfully awful that I want to know more about her.

The League of Princes has to deal with a multitude of issues on their quest to become heroes. Like many fairy tales, they must fight giants, dragons, trolls, angry villagers, etc. There also is the resident evil witch whose plot is both diabolical and comical. I also adored any scene where the League encountered the mysterious Deeb the Bandit King.

All in all, I thought The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom was appropriately funny and touching for a fairy tale retelling. There was a ton of a creativity on the part of the author and the illustrations peppered throughout the book just added to the fun. I will admit that the plot did get a little long-winded in the last third of the book, but things wrapped up nicely by the end. I had a great time reading this book and I am eagerly anticipating the chance to read its sequel, The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle.(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Clare Cannon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone 9 years+ (no exceptions)

Shelves: 08-12yrs, 13-15yrs, favorites

This is the funniest, cleverest, most entertaining story I've read in ages. Keep the tissues handy, because it will have you crying with laughter.

If you ever wondered what became of those Princes Charming from Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty (and especially if you didn't... they didn't even have names, after all...) this book will blow the socks off all speculations and surmises.

It's about four hard-done-by anti-heroes, and after 400 pages of their antics and adventures, t...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

I'm a huge fractured fairy tale fan, and this is a wonderful addition to that genre!

In The Hero's Guide we learn the truth behind all those Prince Charming stories (they're not named "Charming", for one) and that the stories have been a little mangled thanks to the bards. Frederic, the foppish, fearful Prince in the Cinderella story, decides to go in search of Ella (she's eager for adventure, not a safe, cossetted life at home) and on the way meets Princes Gustav (Sleeping Beauty), Liam (Briar R...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ala-2012, i-have-a-lot-of-favorites-okay

This book was sooo fun. The ending was surprisingly unresolved for a mid-grade book--maybe there's going to be a sequel?--but other than that, I love it and would recommend it to anyone. I didn't expect how entertaining it would be to see these stories from "Prince Charming's" side. The fresh perspectives and modern language really bring the characters from these well-known stories to life in new, unexpected, and endearing ways.

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May 06, 2013 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazing book! I bought this book for my younger cousin but ended up stealing the book from him. I love a good fun adventure book and Healy manages to infuse such a delightful sense of humor with crazy action scenes. The characters themselves were all memorable in their own way, especially the Prince Charmings. Liam was heroic, brave and with an ego to match. Gustav was tough and a little too hard headed. Duncan was one of my favorites with his unique sense of self and ability to make everything...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-lit, fantasy, folk-and-fairy-tales

Debut author Healy breathes new life into some old and oft-used source material in this delightful comedy of errors. Princes Frederick, Gustav, Liam, and Duncan, (from Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, respectively) better known by the dreaded name “Prince Charming” thanks to those lazy bards, attempt to live down their reputations while discovering happily ever after is not all it’s cracked up to be. Problems with each of their would-be princesses have brought them together...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Gina rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to be as entertained by this book as I was. It's definitely a refreshing take on the average fairy tales. The author took characters that we THOUGHT we knew and loved (thanks Disney!) and totally gave us a new perspective. A more realistic perspective. He created a place where princes are not all charming, ruggedly handsome, and perfect; as well as a place where princesses are not afraid to save thems...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Carissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile, read-the-e-book

All of the princes who have been turned into anonymous "Prince Charmings" in their various fairytales band together to try to make a name for themselves in this hilarious romp through fairyland. Why has no one ever come up with this concept before? It is brilliant! Although it's a bit tricky to keep track of four different princes and their four different female counterparts (plus the various and sundry other characters necessary to the story), the author did a great job of developing distinctiv...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Kristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: brilliance-at-best, childrens-books

So much fun.

I really needed to read this book. It was filled with just the right amount of silly and adventure to completely win me over and keep me laughing until the very end. Even though it's classified as a middle-grade book, the humor and overall story line is written in such a way that it becomes appealing to all ages. Honestly, after just having read the description, I didn't know how well I would care for it, but the first sentence really hooked me.
After all, do you think that a book who...more So much fun.

I really needed to read this book. It was filled with just the right amount of silly and adventure to completely win me over and keep me laughing until the very end. Even though it's classified as a middle-grade book, the humor and overall story line is written in such a way that it becomes appealing to all ages. Honestly, after just having read the description, I didn't know how well I would care for it, but the first sentence really hooked me.
After all, do you think that a book who's first sentence is "Prince Charming is afraid of old ladies." could possibly disappoint? Because it really doesn't.

The four Princes Charming are not at all happy with the way they're mentioned in their 'heroic tales.' First and mainly, they're all called Prince Charming rather than their respective names. Then, the bards had the gall to sing about their lack of heroics and instead focusing on the triumphs of the women, despite all that they had to do to rescue them. Okay, some of them didn't have to do so much, but the least the bard could've done was use his actual name, right? This story is the telling of how these four princes all come together in one hilarious adventure to rescue the bards that tarnished their names.

Everything from the writing to the illustrations was brilliant and fun in this book. The pacing wasn't bad at all, as there were very few parts that seemed to drag on for me. Even in these brief moments I still found myself laughing at what was going on.

The characters were probably what made me fall in love with this book. First we meet Frederic, who was extremely sheltered as a boy and terrified of adventure. When he falls for Cinderella (technically Ella) he seems a bit put off by her need for adventure, but does go after her (with much prodding) when she finally goes to seek it. Then, Gustav who is the smallest in a family full of buff and tall people, finds himself being made fun of even more after the bards tell a tale in which he's saved by Rapunzel. Next, Liam who is extremely brave and heroic, finds himself hated by his own town when he refuses to marry the spoiled brat Sleeping Beauty. Finally, we have quirky and amusing Duncan, who has a strange bout of luck but not many friends.
What I loved most about them is the way in which they all grow throughout the course of the story. Frederic becomes more confident and brave, Gustav finally finds himself being able to care for others even if he won't admit it to anybody, Liam learns how to work with others, and Duncan finally makes friends. They were all very unique and quirky that I don't feel like the story would've been nearly as fun without all of them.
The females of the story were also just as interesting and hilarious. I was kind of hoping that we might've delved a bit deeper into their part of the story, but perhaps we'll see more of them in the next book?

Overall, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom was a fantastic book. Full of humor, adventure and quirky characters, this one surely won't let you down. It'll probably make your beverages squirt out of your nose while reading, so I do warn that you drink with caution while reading. Sorry, that was entirely too corny. Really though, if you come across this book at whatever point in your life and think that it looks even the smallest bit interesting, I strongly advise you to pick it up and start reading because you are sure to laugh and snort for hours.

☆☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you're looking for a nice laugh.
If you're not afraid to read middle-grade fiction.
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Feb 19, 2013 Wendy Sparrow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-mg

This book will be a guaranteed hit with some audiences--like my 11 year old daughter, who is into unorthodox princess stories like Ella Enchanted or Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and my 9 year old son, who loved the oddball narration in the book How to Train Your Dragon. This was the perfect mash-up of a screwy adventure plot and its fairy tale basis.

The four princes of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty haven't got much to show for their brief splash of stardom. The ba...more This book will be a guaranteed hit with some audiences--like my 11 year old daughter, who is into unorthodox princess stories like Ella Enchanted or Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and my 9 year old son, who loved the oddball narration in the book How to Train Your Dragon. This was the perfect mash-up of a screwy adventure plot and its fairy tale basis.

The four princes of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty haven't got much to show for their brief splash of stardom. The bards of their respective kingdoms have labelled them all as "Prince Charming" and focused on their lack of heroics. Prince Frederic (Cinderella) was an impressive dancer, sure, but the real focus was on the rest of the story. Liam (Sleeping Beauty) and Duncan (Snow White) had awakened princesses with kisses, but Briar Rose turned out to be a despot and Duncan wasn't settling into married life as well as one would hope. Then there was Gustav (Rapunzel) and Rapunzel had not only saved herself but then she'd healed him with her tears--poor prince Gustav couldn't hold his manly head up after that. This story takes place after that... when the bards of the kingdom have disappeared and the witch from Rapunzel has concocted a wicked plot to finally get her fifteen seconds of fame.

The illustrations and the tone of this were reminiscent of Disney's Tangled--and the illustrations in this were amazing. I wish I'd bought this in hardcover just so I could flip through the book and stare at them. (For those buying the Kindle version, I was impressed at the appearance on the Kindle and though the file size is larger than most non-illustrated books, it's impressively small for how many illustrations there are in this.) I can't believe this is Todd Harris's first published book. His artwork was the ideal complement to the story. It's fun and fanciful and made me laugh out loud. I would love to have this artwork on my daughter's walls. It's gorgeous.

I laughed out loud a lot while reading this. But it's not just all funny bits and odd moments. There was some real character growth throughout this as the princes learned to appreciate each other's strengths and work together. My favorite line was probably this one:

"Look," Liam said, "sometimes being a hero isn't about getting the glory. It's about doing what needs to be done."

***

For parents: This was ideal for a bedtime story for kids who probably think they're too old for bedtime stories and definitely safe for all readers. No profanity. And violence was similar to what you'd expect from the original fairy tales--well, actually less violent than most of them (Grimm are grim.) And it's a great read for adults too. If you're a big fan of the play "Into the Woods," you'll find this lighter but equally entertaining.

Both the illustrator and author are going on my guaranteed buy list. This was really a fantastic showing from both of them. They matched. Perfectly.(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Krysta Aryel rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There's nothing new about fairy tale re-imagining apart from the various re-imaginings there are already out there. This book is one of many that carry this tactic. Take all those recognizable and famous fairy tale characters, twist their stories and possibly make the original characters a whole lot more interesting.

Well, there are still Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty, but this book is hardly about these beloved ladies. Remember all those Prince Charmings that saved them in...more There's nothing new about fairy tale re-imagining apart from the various re-imaginings there are already out there. This book is one of many that carry this tactic. Take all those recognizable and famous fairy tale characters, twist their stories and possibly make the original characters a whole lot more interesting.

Well, there are still Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty, but this book is hardly about these beloved ladies. Remember all those Prince Charmings that saved them in the original fairy tales? Yeah, those guys whose function was only to save the princesses, be valiant heroes and nothing more- this story belongs to them.

I am attracted to this book the moment I knew from the synopsis that these guys actually have names. And even personalities of their own. We've got enough of the princesses, but nobody seemed to care about these guys. Perhaps all that matters to this Prince Charming business is that they must be handsome, must be brave, and must save the princess. That's all the value in these Princes in the fairy tale after all. For all the sexism in fairy tales, it's funny how quickly we forget that those stories still belong to the princesses and these guys are more or less instruments for the gals to have happy endings.

And this book points out all the princes' dilemma in a very hilarious albeit illuminating manner. Some of these princes are quite dissatisfied with the fact that the ladies get all the attention while their names were not even mention in the songs sung by bards and minstrels in their countries. Some of these princes are pressured with the fact that they need to conform to the society's expectation to be fearful warriors instead of realizing that their best quality is that of a nice and gentle heart. These conflicts each prince has give flavor to their already endearing personalities.

Oh yeah, I mention the princesses, right?

Well, it's really great to know that none of the princesses are actually helpless whelps. Yes, Cinderella did get abused by her evil stepmother, Sleeping Beauty did get cursed with a sleeping spell, Snow White did got poisoned by an apple, and Rapunzel did get imprisoned in a tower. And these princes did save all the princesses from their fate whether from being a valiant and seasoned knight warrior, or just pure luck (literally). But the princesses are far from being just beautiful damsel in distress. Cinderella, overjoyed by her turn of luck and freedom from her evil stepmother, went out on an adventure to experience the life she had always dream she would have. Rapunzel saved Gustav, the Prince Charming attempting to save her in a turn of event, and later live alone as a healer. Snow White is a some-what recluse individual who prefers a life of solitude, and Sleeping Beauty is- unsurprisingly- a spoiled brat who hunts down Prince Liam to force him to marry her. Yeah, the princesses are much more exciting, and funnier, in this book.

I loved Mr Healy's writing for all the simplistic style and the fluid flow of the story. Everything happened just naturally it was a delight to see the story unfolding. And I love the originality this story brings about, including the humor. I have always like details involving the characters and Mr. Healy puts it very well into each of his character that we can discern for ourselves who is who by their mannerism alone.

Of all the fairy tale re-imaginings that I have ever read or watch, this is- at the moment- the most enjoyable one. I heartily recommend this book to all of you.(less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Maurinejt rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5

"Some of you may not even realize that there is more than one Prince Charming. And none of them are actually named Charming. No one is. Charming isn't a name; it's an adjective."

Thus begins a topsy-turvy fairy tale that sets tradition on its head when it follows the path of not just one, but FOUR unfortunate Princes whose fate is to be lumped in with the catch-all "Prince Charming". Of course, their princesses are not to be missed; despite their oft-told beginnings, they are not so straightfo...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Shelf Talkers Anonymous rated it 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful, hilarious, rollicking re-imagining of all the fairy-tales you thought you knew.The Princes Charming: Frederic, Gustav, Liam, and Duncan are the best kinds of heroes, and their stories (along with their unwitting heroines: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose) will delight boys and girls.

So many fairy-tale re-tellings take the stance that Prince Charming is the same guy, and he happened to marry all the princesses. This of course leads to the conclusion that he is less th...more A wonderful, hilarious, rollicking re-imagining of all the fairy-tales you thought you knew.The Princes Charming: Frederic, Gustav, Liam, and Duncan are the best kinds of heroes, and their stories (along with their unwitting heroines: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose) will delight boys and girls.

So many fairy-tale re-tellings take the stance that Prince Charming is the same guy, and he happened to marry all the princesses. This of course leads to the conclusion that he is less than perfect, and his relationships with our favorite princesses less than true love. Many times Prince Charming ends up being the bad guy--or sometimes just the skeezy guy. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kindgom comes at this dilemma from a different angle: what if the Prince Charming from all the stories was just some name used by the bards and storytellers to refer to wholly different men? Thus enters the princes of this novel, all flawed and yet heroic in their own quirky ways. It's perhaps the best premise for a fairy-tale re-telling I've seen in a long time; because when you put four wayward princes together and send them off to rescue their world, nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

The best part about the heroes of this book is that they are all so real, as opposed to their fairy-tale counterpart Prince Charming. They each have flaws and challenges that they are overcoming in their own lives, but in the end their differences make them the perfect team. And the fact that none of them have been properly recognized for their heroic deeds--Prince Charming always gets the glory--makes them even more motivated to save the day. They are the kind of heroes that you want to read about: funny, brave, terrified, and the kind of man that you would want to be best friends with (or marry).

The princesses of the story were also unique in their own ways. Cinderella is the adventurous one, flying across the kingdoms in search of excitement, and running into our princes at the worst (and funniest) of times. Snow White is an odd duck, but loyal and courageous even if she does wear an inordinate amount of bows. Rapunzel is a bit of a wild card in the story, but an important role nonetheless. Briar Rose takes an interesting turn, and offers up a bit of the villain's role (even though she is not per se evil, just a little spoiled).

The narrative voice throughout is funny and insightful. Bouncing from one prince's head to the next, we get to follow the princes exploits from all of their perspectives, giving you a chance to get to know them all equally. We even get to join the princesses for a while, which is a great treat.

The best part of all is the "happily ever after," because there isn't one. Sure things end for the best, but there is no perfect fix to the princes problems in this world: they have to fix it themselves. So instead of ending on a ride into the sunset, it ends with them plotting their next adventure, and a guide for other hero's to come...

A truly excellent debut, and a great addition to fairy-tale re-tellings.(less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Caitlin Marineau rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, children

Fairy tales take a zany twist in first-time novelist Christopher Healy’s new book. The stories of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel are well known, but, unfortunately for the princes involved, no one even knows their names. The so-called “Princes Charming” (not Prince Charmings, because Charming is the adjective, of course), have found themselves taking a back seat in what was supposed to be their grand tale of heroics. Even after they get the girls, the princes soon lose the...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Mjhancock rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, children-s-lit

The book starts with a simple premise: all of those feats done by Prince Charming in the fables were actually done by four separate princes, each a bit annoyed that the bards couldn't get their names right. Through a series of misadventures, they band together and go up against a variety of villains, including a dragon, a giant, the child-aged King of Bandits, and, of course, the wicked witch. The book's biggest strength is the personalities of the four princes, as each is very well-defined: Dun...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

This really was such a fun read. I am so glad that my boss recommended that I give it a try! I bet you have always wondered about the various Princes Charming from all the various fairy tales. If that is the case, this is the book for you. With tongue firmly placed in cheat, Healy tells the tales of Princes Frederic, Gustav, Liam and Duncan so that we have a better sense of what they REALLY did to save Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. While the local bards have made some ch...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars

I actually read this book over a long period of time as it's the book I read aloud to my kids at bed time. It's a long book for middle grade so it took some time and it was so hard to stop each night! If my voice hadn't gotten tired I would have just kept reading! And I'm shocked I didn't sneak away to devour it on my own but my kids never would have forgiven me.

This book was absolutely adorable! It had the cutest characters EVER. And the most hilarious. It probably wasn't the best book to read...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Hilary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fairy-tale-retellings, fantasy, grades-5-6

Have you ever heard of Prince Charming? You know, the guy who found Cinderella's slipper? The one who awoke Sleeping Beauty? The one who was tossed from Rapunzel's tower by the witch? And the guy who kissed Snow White? It turns out that they are four different guys and they've all been mushed into one by those no good bards who can never seem to get their stories straight in the songs. It also turns out that none of those stories had happy endings. While wandering in the woods searching for fame...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever stopped to realize that the “Prince Charming” from Cinderella is not the same prince in Sleeping Beauty, who is neither the same prince in Snow White, nor the same prince in Rapunzel either. There are four distinct princes. Do they really all have the same name? How did this happen? The answer to the first question is simply, “No.” There is no Charming family and no set of Charming Princes. “Charming isn’t a name; it’s an adjective.”

The answer to the second question is a bit more c...more Have you ever stopped to realize that the “Prince Charming” from Cinderella is not the same prince in Sleeping Beauty, who is neither the same prince in Snow White, nor the same prince in Rapunzel either. There are four distinct princes. Do they really all have the same name? How did this happen? The answer to the first question is simply, “No.” There is no Charming family and no set of Charming Princes. “Charming isn’t a name; it’s an adjective.”

The answer to the second question is a bit more complicated. You see in the time those tales originated from the news of the day was collected and written to be retold by a Bard. Each kingdom had it’s own. They wrote the news and told the story as they understood it and then that was spread throughout the land by the minstrels. It was true that “rhyming” news was remembered far easier and often retold more authentically through time, but rhyming isn’t always easy. It was challenging in the day to get around and collect all perspectives before the news had to get out. I’m sure you can imagine the difficulty…

So Frederic, Gustav, Liam and Duncan all got lumped together as one “Prince Charming.” That’s a bit of a problem. First of all it is annoying to be known far and wide, but …not really because on one know your name. Second of all the stories are not fully accurate or completely flattering. Thirdly, “the happily ever after” thing isn’t really so. One thing leads to another. Eventually the four princes meet in their attempt to rescue Ella (a.k.a. Cinderella) and thwart the plot of the evil witch.

Here’s the part where Duncan, the fourth Prince Charming, joins the group.
“Absolutely,” Duncan Declared with a huge smile. “This was meant to be. I’m coming with you.”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Gustav moaned. “Another one with a cape? And an itty-bitty cape at that!”
“I think it’s rather snazzy,” said Frederic.
“Why, thank you,” said Duncan. “I wanted something that I could swish over my shoulder for dramatic entrances – and yet not get caught in doors.”
“All right, fine,” said Liam. “We can always use another sword. Are you any good with a blade?”
“Ha!” laughed Duncan.
Liam furrowed his brow. “Is that ‘Ha’ as in, ‘How silly of you to ask; everyone knows I’m the best swordsman in the land?” he asked hopefully.

A Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is laugh out loud funny from beginning to end. How can four “same name princes” be so completely different? Their personalities from gold fringy things, to burly buff fur-lined armor to do-anything-to-help-anyone-in-need-no-matter-what-the-risk attitude to the propensity for naming anything that moves (along with constant chatter) are garishly grating combination that fits together perfectly. Each prince has been fine as he is on his own, but none of them can succeed in their mission without each other. You’ll have to read to the very end to find out how it all works out…it’s not what you expect and that makes the book great. I’d love to know who your favorite character is and what parts tickle your funny bone as you read. Another great thing about this book is that it is the first – I can’t wait to find out what happens with Deeb, the Bandit King.

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Jun 24, 2012 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let’s take a look at a hilarious middle grade novel from Walden Pond Press, The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy.

The Story- Prince Charming, well actually Prince Liam, Prince Frederic, Prince Duncan and Prince Gustav, but all known by Prince Charming, have a problem. Their happily ever afters aren’t going so well, and all their princesses have taken off for greener pastures. The motley crew of princes head off to find their ladies, and bump into each other along the way,...more

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May 07, 2012 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children, fantasy, fiction

Why are all the fairy tales about the girls? Why do all the fairy tale heroines seem to end up with Prince Charming? If you believe The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, it’s all the fault of the lazy bards who wrote the songs. They couldn’t be bothered to get the names of the heroes straight; they just called them all “Prince Charming.”

In The Hero’s Guide, we meet Gustav, Duncan, Frederic, and Liam – the princes of Rapunzel, Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, respectively. They are...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 4 of 5 stars

The kingdom of Harmonia has Frederic, who was brought up to be fearful of everything, but a really snazzy dresser. He danced with Cinderella and she fell in love, but found life in the castle to be profoundly boring. Nearby, there's Gustav, who tried to rescue Rapunzel but is now the laughingstock of his kingdom. Liam woke Sleeping Beauty, but found that Briar Rose has a horrible personality and he really doesn't want to marry her. Duncan is married to Snow White, but they are both a little odd...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Christopher Healy’s approach in The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is very unique, interesting, and a fun twist in the retelling of classic fairy tales. He takes characters from a variety of fairy tales and mix them all up to make this remarkable story of princes and princesses.

When Prince Frederic follows Cinderella, who left the palace in search of adventure, he bumps into other princes. Together they discover a horrible plot that will devastate their kingdoms. From one adventure to the n...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale-redux

I really like fairy-tale mash ups and retellings. I like taking a story that's been told so many ways and finding a new angle. Most of the time, that angle is to actually make the heroine a more active participant in her fate. Last week, I found one that did the same thing for the heroes.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is the story of Prince Charmings. They're not actually named Charming, of course, but the bards were in such a hurry to get their stories told they didn't bother to find o...more

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May 08, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm in love with this book! I read this book so fast I'm going to have to read it again but once you start it's so addictive you just can't stop. It's like eating potato chips or M&M's you can't read just one page or chapter.
Links to the other blogs participating are below my review. Thanks for stopping by!

Ever wondered about what happened after Happily Ever After? I have. I have always wondered. Well wait no more! This book tells it all and doesn't hold back. Four Prince Charmings and the t...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-group, childrens

Gustav, Frederic, Liam and Duncan. The Princes Charming that the bards forgot about. Well they didn't forget, they were just too lazy to remember the names and "Prince Charming" just seemed to stick. You see, the bards are the only way information gets around the kingdoms. So all of the princesses are extremely popular (Rapunzel, Cinderella, Briar Rose and Snow White- bet you know who they are!)but the poor boys are just "Charming". Not even a name but an adjective.

So when a very evil witch (who...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Wahyu Novian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales

My friend said that reading a fantasy novel need a patience, especially the series. It needs build the character and the story well until reach the good part. She's right. And this one, need a lot of patience.

The ideas of story is great. The princes had stories too. The princess without their prince is useless. And here it is. The story about Princes Charming (or Prince Charmings?) saving the day. Well, sort of.

At first, I felt something is off. I didn't quite understand whats wrong with it th...more

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About Christopher Healy

Christopher Healy has spent nearly a decade immersed in children's pop culture as a freelance reviewer of books, movies, music, toys, and video games. His work has appeared in multiple magazines and websites, and he continues to post reviews to his own blog, KidPop and Beyond (kidpopandbeyond.blogspot.com).

His first novel, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, is a comedic adventure that follo...more

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Quotes from The Hero's Guide to Sa...

“I'm Liam of Erinthia. I'm here to rescue you ... And You are not Cinderella. You are a tree branch wrapped in a sheet” — 17 people liked it

“Can you believe the man rhymed 'Rumplestiltskin' with 'crumpled napkins'?” — 14 people liked it

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The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (The League of Princes #1)

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