Clean Fantasy Romances for Growing Girls

For years, I waited for my kids to be old enough to appreciate Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. I would pull it off the shelf now and then and consider it for our next read-aloud, but the right time hadn't arrived.

Until recently. We just finished reading this wonderful book last week.



My patience paid off. Both Bubs (8) and Welly-Bells (6) thoroughly enjoyed it, but Welly was absolutely triumphant as the sweet little romance wrapped up. Giddy even.  :) She pranced around a lot and giggled a little...and I thought, Oh Boy! My little girl is growing up.

I told her that she comes from a long line of love. Couples that are madly in love for life and beyond.

I certainly haven't grown out of sweet little romances like The Princess Academy. I'm still a sucker for a good, clean fairy tale.

That got me thinking about all the other wonderful fantasy romances that I'll be able to share with her over the years. Can't wait!

Gail Carson Levine's:




and Fairest


Shannon Hale's:





Jessica Day George's:

Robin McKinley's:



Julie Berry's:





Martine Leavitt's:



E.D. Baker's:

The Wide-Awake Princess



These books vary in maturity, but I consider them all Deliciously Clean Reads. What books would you add to the list???

8 comments:

  1. SandyApril 12, 2012 at 11:23 PM

    Thank you so much. These are just the type of books my "reluctant" reader can be convinced to read. She has read most of them but Julie Berry is new to me. I put them on hold!!!! Thanks so much for your help.

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  2. joyousApril 13, 2012 at 8:22 AM

    We are just about done with Princess Academy. We just finished the chapter at the ball. They loved it. I cried through one whole chapter when she realizes how much her dad loves her. This is one of my all-time favorite books. So beautiful, so sweet. And yes, the romance is perfect too.

    We have also enjoyed Ella Enchanted. I think I might wait just a bit longer before Goose Girl, or I might skip some of the creepy parts with the horse. And I just discovered Jessica Day George's Dragon Slippers even though I have enjoyed some of her other fairy tales. :)

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  3. EmilyApril 13, 2012 at 9:46 AM

    Thanks for pointing that out, Joy. As I said, these are books I'm excited to share with Welly over the next few years. Some are more mature than others. Off hand, I'd put them in this order...

    Princess Academy
    Dragon Slippers
    Ella Enchanted
    Fairest
    The Amaranth Enchantment
    Secondhand Charm
    Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow
    Book of a Thousand Days
    Beauty
    Goose Girl
    Keturah and Lord Death.

    And I cried during the chapter about her dad, too. :)

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  4. AngieApril 13, 2012 at 10:41 AM

    These are GREAT! One book my mom, sisters, and I all love is "Seven Daughters and Seven Sons." It's a very favorite - probably good for 10-12 and up.

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    Replies
    1. EmilyApril 13, 2012 at 11:04 AM

      I'm excited to check this one out. I'm not familiar with it.

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  5. DebraApril 13, 2012 at 9:12 PM

    Princess Academy's sequel Palace of Stone is coming out this year! I was in the target audience when Princess Academy came out. I'm still SOOOOOO excited. :D

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  6. Emily V.April 14, 2012 at 2:20 AM

    Such loverly books! :) Quite a few on that list I have yet to read, however. I would add:

    the Betsy~Tacy books (they're old, but sooo amazing! Among my top 5 favorites. Seriously--you should check 'em out ASAP. The series starts out when Betsy's age 5 and so they'd probably be fun for your daughter.)

    the Sue Barton series (again, really old but fantastic!)

    (So neither of these are fantasy, but they're beautiful just the same)

    The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye (One of the best fairy tales ever!)

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  7. sallyavenaMarch 26, 2013 at 9:38 PM

    I realize this is rather an old post, but I thought I'd add a couple if per chance somebody else stumbled upon like I did.
    --'Belle at Midnight', 'Cup and the Crown' and the 'Silver Bowl' by Diane Stanley
    --Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
    --Frontier Magic series by Patricia Wrede--I describe this one as Harry Potter meets Little House on the Prairie--definitely a little different but interesting a good if you are in to it
    --The lesser know books of Gail Carson Levine--Tale of Two Castles and Two Princesses of Barimore
    --Enchanted Forest Chronicles--Patricia Wrede
    Not really fantasy, but my all time favorites series for this age is the Melendy Family by Elisabeth Enright
    I love to read and would love to learn how to add reviews.

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