Fantasy – Fiction Book Review: The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Everyone knows the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. But unfortunately, no one knows the names of their rescuers other than the name “Prince Charming.” Prince Frederic saved Ella (Cinderella) from her stepmother. But she longs for adventure, while Frederic is anything but brave and would rather stay home. Prince Gustav tried to save Rapunzel, though she ended up saving him, much to his disgrace. Prince Liam rescued Sleeping Beauty who turned out to be anything but beautiful on the inside. And Prince Duncan awoke Snow White with a kiss, and found a soul mate. The four princes have left their princesses for various reasons and meet up for the adventure of a lifetime when they discover that all their kingdoms’ bards have been kidnapped by an evil witch.

These well-known fairy tales take a dramatic turn at the end of each story, without the “Happily Ever After’s.” Healy’s versions of the Princes Charming are creative and humorous. The Princes each have their own set of problems stemming from rescuing the princesses and given the generic name “Prince Charming.” And despite their eccentricities, they each have strengths that they’ll need to rely on to take down the evil witch, a dragon, bandits, and more. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is, well, charming. Each Prince Charming’s story is unique and compelling, so it’s easy to keep all of the characters straight. Full of adventure, magic, and laughs – this children’s fantasy will appeal to a wide audience of fairy tale fans. Don’t miss this one.