The Princess and the Wizard

By: Julia Donaldson, Lydia Monks

Narrated by: Imelda Staunton

A magical fairytale adventure, perfect for listening to at home, in the car, at bedtime – or any time at all!

"The princess may try seven times to escape
By changing her colour and changing her shape."

But each time Princess Eliza changes – into a blue fish, a yellow chick, a red fox or a black cat – the wicked wizard finds her and sets her another horrible task. Will this plucky princess be able to outwit him and escape back to the palace in time to cut her birthday cake?

The Princess and the Wizard is a magical adventure from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard. It is read aloud by award-winning actress, Imelda Staunton, and also includes a read-along version of the story.

Enjoy more stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: What the Ladybird Heard, The Singing Mermaid, Sugarlump and the Unicorn and The Girl, the Bear and the Magic Shoes.

Critic reviews

A sparkly princess and an equally sparkly, though somewhat darker, wizard battle it out across some glorious colour spreads . . . an exceptionally pleasing replay of a familiar story.

a winner . . . colourful, and funny, with a cosy ending

It won't annoy after the 50th time

Where does The Princess and the Wizard rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

My 4 year old loves it. It's one of her favourites.

What other book might you compare The Princess and the Wizard to and why?

no idea

What does Imelda Staunton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

We listen to the book on the way to daycare. It's a good book to get her mind going.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

My daughter likes 2 different parts. 1. when the princess sees the book writting where she is. and when the wizard throws the book into the water so the princess can get away. She likes the way the princess changes herself into different animals and with different colours

Any additional comments?

I liked it because it's not one of those books you get sick of hearing after the second time. We listen to it in the car on the way to daycare and when my daughter goes to bed. It doesn't make me cringe when she picks that book again and again

Good story read at good pace for small children

This is a good story that kept my children (5yo and 3yo) engaged throughout the whole story, and then they as for replay.

Too much like a non appropriate book for my age

I would recommend this book for seven and under

It’s not the best for my age I am eight years old

So I look like you the author of the book to just trying to make a few more books that are well where appropriate for older ages