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Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tales #1
Trouble With Parsnips
14 brothers and sisters! Oh my! The nameless princess of Cochem can't get a word in edgewise.
Until she finally grabs her royal parents' attention. *cough* (500 goldfish, long story.)
Christening invitations flutter off to the Seven Kingdoms—only ten years late.
Everything is cream puffs.
But then the Blackfly Queen strides into the feasting hall . . . just as the oh-so-tasty parsnip fries run out.
Arrows fly. Tempers flare.
Another christening goes up in smoke!
Only this time, her fairy godmother makes everything worse. The princess has 15 days to make a name for herself. Or she'll be invisible for life! The Speech Tournament is her very last chance. If only she wasn't speechless!
In this magical story about speaking up, Gail Carson Levine’s classic Ella Enchanted meets The King’s Speech. For ages 9 to 12, this Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale will appeal to fans of Jean Ferris’ Once Upon a Marigold, Jacqueline Davies’ The Lemonade Wars, and E.G. Foley’s The Gryphon Chronicles.
Until she finally grabs her royal parents' attention. *cough* (500 goldfish, long story.)
Christening invitations flutter off to the Seven Kingdoms—only ten years late.
Everything is cream puffs.
But then the Blackfly Queen strides into the feasting hall . . . just as the oh-so-tasty parsnip fries run out.
Arrows fly. Tempers flare.
Another christening goes up in smoke!
Only this time, her fairy godmother makes everything worse. The princess has 15 days to make a name for herself. Or she'll be invisible for life! The Speech Tournament is her very last chance. If only she wasn't speechless!
In this magical story about speaking up, Gail Carson Levine’s classic Ella Enchanted meets The King’s Speech. For ages 9 to 12, this Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale will appeal to fans of Jean Ferris’ Once Upon a Marigold, Jacqueline Davies’ The Lemonade Wars, and E.G. Foley’s The Gryphon Chronicles.
308 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2018
About the author
Laurel Decher
10 books13 followersLAUREL DECHER lives on the outskirts of a mid-sized city in Germany, between a medieval chapel on St. James' Way and a boundary marker tree complete with scary face. It's a little surprising, since she expected to live in Vermont for the rest of her life.
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Trouble With Parsnips is about an inventor and princess who learns to speak up in the delightfully wacky world of the Seven Kingdoms.
Lost With Leeks stars the magnetically charming Prince Nero who learns to lead even though he always gets lost.
Under Pressure With A Squash: The Multiplication Problem features the Saffron twins, Princess Saffy and Prince Magellan, as they face all kinds of tests in their new schools.
Trouble at the Valentine Factory is all about the bees! And Queen Ash's terrible new idea!
Rule Trouble: The Case of the Illegal Dragon is about friends on opposite sides of the rules.
Giant Trouble: The Mystery of the Magic Beans is about welcoming visitors, battles with comics, and the magic of warm flatbread hot off the griddle!
Get a little magic for the kids when you join the Readers List. Get a book recommendation for middle grade readers each month and a free short story in the Seven Kingdoms world!
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/laureldecher...
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurel-de...
Pinterest https://pin.it/5MhseQ6hl/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurel...
Trouble With Parsnips is about an inventor and princess who learns to speak up in the delightfully wacky world of the Seven Kingdoms.
Lost With Leeks stars the magnetically charming Prince Nero who learns to lead even though he always gets lost.
Under Pressure With A Squash: The Multiplication Problem features the Saffron twins, Princess Saffy and Prince Magellan, as they face all kinds of tests in their new schools.
Trouble at the Valentine Factory is all about the bees! And Queen Ash's terrible new idea!
Rule Trouble: The Case of the Illegal Dragon is about friends on opposite sides of the rules.
Giant Trouble: The Mystery of the Magic Beans is about welcoming visitors, battles with comics, and the magic of warm flatbread hot off the griddle!
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 14, 2019
She is a princess with no name as one has not been found to be suitable. Now at the 14 attempt the parsnips tries run out. Now she is good she has 15 days to find one or become invisible. Will she find that name? See if she will
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 4, 2018
The Trouble With Parsnips is the story of a spunky princess who is a go-getter and inventor, but who will remain nameless until her christening, which is a decade overdue. But to achieve this, she will have to face her fears of speaking in public. The story follows her adventures as she saves the kingdom from the Blackfly Queen and faces her own fears. Lots of magical details and quirky characters with a positive message and fun heroine.
November 28, 2018
Desperate to finally get named, the royal princess known as The Fifteenth Child has fifteen days to finally get a name or be invisible forever…. Here are just a few of my favorite elements in this hilarious fairy tale: A librarian named Hugh Ancry. The Vintners' Ventriloquism League. Melanie from Minnesota (the New World). Croquet fever. And, of course, the Golden Parsnip. Ms. Decher has a vivid imagination and a wicked sense of humor. Trouble with Parsnips is a romp!
July 15, 2019
It is always a good sign when I finish a book in one night. I did it with Harry Potters 4/5/6 & 7; Garth Nix's Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen; Philip Pullman's novels were regularly devoured into the small hours; Terry Pratchett had me laughing while my eyes were held open with matchsticks* and now I can add this hilarious and hugely entertaining novel, Trouble with Parsnips to the list.
Trouble with Parsnips opens at a christening party in the home of our nameless royal heroine. She has the nickname Fifteenth, as she is the fifteenth child of King Oliver and Queen Sibyl. Unfortunately, they have been so busy ruling the kingdom of Cochem (of which the Golden Parsnip is the symbol of state) and educating the older children, that she has been a decade without a name, hence the christening party.
As the story begins, Fifteenth is trying her hardest to ensure that everything goes as planned and she ends the day with a name and a suitable Fairy Godmother's gift, as is appropriate for royal princesses on their christening day. This is not as simple a task as you may think. From the threat of Croquet Fever and missing guests to the very fact that without a name you are often forgotten, Fifteenth has a lot to handle. Luckily she is well equipped for the task, handy with a wrench and very quick thinking, she gets around most issues...that is until the arrival of the Blackflies and all the trouble they bring...
...her biggest test will come with the dreaded arrival of Croquet Fever, (not as harmless as you may think) when all her plans come tumbling down and the Golden Parsnip is no longer in Cochem hands...
This was an absolute delight to read. From the first chapter to the last, I was entertained by Fifteenth and the other characters. She is a modern-day heroine of the highest order: intelligent, handy, independent, feisty and kind, she leaps off the page as all the best main characters should. The cast around her too, are real while maintaining the 'fairytale' feel for the book. I particularly loved Bridget and her father who were genuinely good people. The villain of the piece (I won't spoil who it is, though you will probably guess early on) is appropriately villainous and I enjoyed the scene where they trailed Fifteenth around the gathered guests as she did odd-jobs for each of them, ensuring they were shown appropriate hospitality.
The story flows wonderfully and there is a strong sense of connection to the main thread of the book throughout. We have all dealt with the feeling of being invisible and being afraid to speak up and I liked how this was explored and the way that it was resolved without being too 'preachy' or patronising. That overall is the feeling I take away from this, at no point did I feel to old to be reading it. The story resonated with me as an adult as much as I'm sure it will with children. The humourous nature of the book too, was not excessive: My enjoyment of it was drawn more from the absurdity of the situations than any 'jokes', a clever format in the vein of Terry Pratchett or Lemony Snicket, which I particularly enjoy.
If I were to make any criticism, it would be with the front cover, which, in my opinion, doesn't particularly suit the book. It makes it look far more like a 'princess story' than it actually is, despite being full of royalty, kingdoms and tournaments. It is definitely a book that I feel as a story would appeal to both boys and girls, but some boys may be put off by the 'girly' front cover and miss out on a fantastic story.
Overall this is a brilliantly entertaining book which both boys and girls of 8/9+ will love. Fifteenth may feel forgotten by her family but her story is definitely one that I will remember and return to read again and again.
Thank you Laurel for the opportunity to review this book.
Trouble with Parsnips opens at a christening party in the home of our nameless royal heroine. She has the nickname Fifteenth, as she is the fifteenth child of King Oliver and Queen Sibyl. Unfortunately, they have been so busy ruling the kingdom of Cochem (of which the Golden Parsnip is the symbol of state) and educating the older children, that she has been a decade without a name, hence the christening party.
As the story begins, Fifteenth is trying her hardest to ensure that everything goes as planned and she ends the day with a name and a suitable Fairy Godmother's gift, as is appropriate for royal princesses on their christening day. This is not as simple a task as you may think. From the threat of Croquet Fever and missing guests to the very fact that without a name you are often forgotten, Fifteenth has a lot to handle. Luckily she is well equipped for the task, handy with a wrench and very quick thinking, she gets around most issues...that is until the arrival of the Blackflies and all the trouble they bring...
...her biggest test will come with the dreaded arrival of Croquet Fever, (not as harmless as you may think) when all her plans come tumbling down and the Golden Parsnip is no longer in Cochem hands...
This was an absolute delight to read. From the first chapter to the last, I was entertained by Fifteenth and the other characters. She is a modern-day heroine of the highest order: intelligent, handy, independent, feisty and kind, she leaps off the page as all the best main characters should. The cast around her too, are real while maintaining the 'fairytale' feel for the book. I particularly loved Bridget and her father who were genuinely good people. The villain of the piece (I won't spoil who it is, though you will probably guess early on) is appropriately villainous and I enjoyed the scene where they trailed Fifteenth around the gathered guests as she did odd-jobs for each of them, ensuring they were shown appropriate hospitality.
The story flows wonderfully and there is a strong sense of connection to the main thread of the book throughout. We have all dealt with the feeling of being invisible and being afraid to speak up and I liked how this was explored and the way that it was resolved without being too 'preachy' or patronising. That overall is the feeling I take away from this, at no point did I feel to old to be reading it. The story resonated with me as an adult as much as I'm sure it will with children. The humourous nature of the book too, was not excessive: My enjoyment of it was drawn more from the absurdity of the situations than any 'jokes', a clever format in the vein of Terry Pratchett or Lemony Snicket, which I particularly enjoy.
If I were to make any criticism, it would be with the front cover, which, in my opinion, doesn't particularly suit the book. It makes it look far more like a 'princess story' than it actually is, despite being full of royalty, kingdoms and tournaments. It is definitely a book that I feel as a story would appeal to both boys and girls, but some boys may be put off by the 'girly' front cover and miss out on a fantastic story.
Overall this is a brilliantly entertaining book which both boys and girls of 8/9+ will love. Fifteenth may feel forgotten by her family but her story is definitely one that I will remember and return to read again and again.
Thank you Laurel for the opportunity to review this book.
March 20, 2021
Read and reviewed by seven-year-old Amy.
'Trouble with Parsnips' is about a nameless princess who lives in the Cochem Kingdom. She’s the fifteenth child of her family. She doesn’t have any actual name, but when the king or queen wanted or needed her, they would call ‘Fifteenth’ or ‘Sibyl #8’.
All the princesses in the Cochem Kingdom got the name Sybil, and all the princes got the name Harold. So the nameless princess ended up being Sybil #8.
Sybil #8—the unnamed princess—is the youngest, and she feels forgotten by her family. She can’t speak up for herself, and she has only fifteen days to find herself a name, else she would become invisible forever.
Can she save the Kingdom and find a name for herself in time? Or will she become invisible forever? Read this amazing realistic fairytale to find out. But wait! Read the rest of this review first. 😊
I loved Sybil #8 as she was very smart and intelligent.
In Trouble with Parsnips, there are very funny instances. There is a palace agriculture library (PAL) and a ventriloquist league (VVL), which I liked very much.
The themes in this book include family relationships, believing in oneself, and speaking up for oneself.
I give this book 5/5 stars as there were no confusing or boring parts.
'Trouble with Parsnips' isn’t like any other book I’ve ever read. I would love to read more by the author.
'Trouble with Parsnips' is about a nameless princess who lives in the Cochem Kingdom. She’s the fifteenth child of her family. She doesn’t have any actual name, but when the king or queen wanted or needed her, they would call ‘Fifteenth’ or ‘Sibyl #8’.
All the princesses in the Cochem Kingdom got the name Sybil, and all the princes got the name Harold. So the nameless princess ended up being Sybil #8.
Sybil #8—the unnamed princess—is the youngest, and she feels forgotten by her family. She can’t speak up for herself, and she has only fifteen days to find herself a name, else she would become invisible forever.
Can she save the Kingdom and find a name for herself in time? Or will she become invisible forever? Read this amazing realistic fairytale to find out. But wait! Read the rest of this review first. 😊
I loved Sybil #8 as she was very smart and intelligent.
In Trouble with Parsnips, there are very funny instances. There is a palace agriculture library (PAL) and a ventriloquist league (VVL), which I liked very much.
The themes in this book include family relationships, believing in oneself, and speaking up for oneself.
I give this book 5/5 stars as there were no confusing or boring parts.
'Trouble with Parsnips' isn’t like any other book I’ve ever read. I would love to read more by the author.
May 23, 2019
Trouble With Parsnips is a hilarious fairy tale that had me chuckling all the way through - well, most of the time, when I was not chewing my nails as the situation got more and more complicated for the nameless heroine (literally nameless, it all starts with what should be her christening party).
From crocket fever that infects the royal family to the Palace Agricultural Library (PAL) and not to forget the Vintners Ventriloquist League (VVL), Laurel Decher has created a fabulous fairy tale world, and i look forward to reading more.
From crocket fever that infects the royal family to the Palace Agricultural Library (PAL) and not to forget the Vintners Ventriloquist League (VVL), Laurel Decher has created a fabulous fairy tale world, and i look forward to reading more.
November 29, 2022
Tons of fun!
There is a lot going on in this book! What a fun story, the author leads you through a princesses trials and escapades like none other. The story is great as is the character development. It was also quite humorous! With that I’m pleased that there are more books in the series. Don’t hesitate to get this for your student, it is well written and wholesome, appropriate reading and a great deal of fun.
There is a lot going on in this book! What a fun story, the author leads you through a princesses trials and escapades like none other. The story is great as is the character development. It was also quite humorous! With that I’m pleased that there are more books in the series. Don’t hesitate to get this for your student, it is well written and wholesome, appropriate reading and a great deal of fun.
August 1, 2019
Amazing!
July 30, 2022
I loved this book! Awesome read! Must buy! It's not your typical fairy story.this book has an inventor princess who sets out to make her parents notice her. A heartwarming tale of love, overcoming fear and standing out.
December 6, 2018
I'm the author of this book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews