This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either
products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.
Text copyright © 2015 by Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrations copyright © 2015 by LeUyen Pham
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted,
or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means,
graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and
recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
First electronic edition 2017
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2014949932
ISBN 978-0-7636-6511-1 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-7636-8758-8 (paperback)
ISBN 978-0-7636-9664-1 (electronic)
This book was typeset in LTC Kennerley Pro.
The illustrations were done in watercolor and ink.
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
visit us at www.candlewick.com
For Uyen, Sarah, and Barry—
with you it’s always a perfect princess party
S. H. and D. H.
To my royal nieces, Alize, Alora, and Mathilde
L. P.
Pink balloons topped the castle
towers. Pink balloons bobbed from
the treetops. There was even a pink
balloon tied to a unicorn’s horn.
Today was Princess Magnolia’s
birthday. She wanted the party to be
perfect.
2
Princess Magnolia cleaned her
tower room. She put on her favorite
fluffy dress. She polished her glass
slippers. She frosted cupcakes.
3
She looked out her window. Her
guests would arrive any moment.
And then her glitter-stone ring rang.
“The monster alarm,” said Princess
Magnolia. “Not now!”
It was time for Princess Magnolia’s
birthday party. It was not a good time
for a monster attack.
Monsters did not care about Princess
Magnolia’s birthday. Monsters just
wanted to eat goats. Stopping mon-
sters was no job for prim and perfect
Princess Magnolia. But it was the
perfect job for the Princess in Black.
5
Princess Magnolia ducked into the
broom closet.
She took off her favorite fluffy dress.
She slipped off her glass slippers.
Underneath, she was dressed all in
black. She fastened on her mask.
6
She was no longer Princess Magnolia.
She was the Princess in Black.
7
“The princess is back!” said the
Princess in Black.
She slid down the secret chute.
She high-jumped the castle wall.
Twelve sparkly princesses were
riding toward the drawbridge. Her
party guests!
She hoped they wouldn’t look up.
No one knew that prim and perfect
Princess Magnolia was also the
Princess in Black.
No one knew the Princess in Black’s
secret identity, except her faithful steed.
He was a steed with his own secret.
Everyone thought that Frimplepants
was a unicorn. After all, he had a horn
on his head. Today a pink balloon was
tied to his horn. For the party.
11
When Frimplepants pranced, the
balloon bobbed. When Frimplepants
cantered, the balloon swayed. Frimple-
pants was in a festive mood.
12
That is,
until his
glitter-stone
horseshoe
rang. The
monster alarm!
Frimplepants went into a secret
passage.
13
When he came out the other side,
he was no longer Frimplepants the
unicorn. He was Blacky, the Princess
in Black’s faithful pony!
15
Blacky went to the usual place
beside the castle wall. He waited for
the Princess in Black to land on his
back.
Blacky was ready to fight monsters!
But he kind of missed the balloon.
The Princess in Black landed on
Blacky’s back.
“Fly, Blacky, fly!” she said.
Blacky could not fly. He was a
pony. He was not a Pegasus. But he
knew that when the Princess in Black
said “fly” she really meant “run fast.”
And so Blacky ran fast.
17
They zoomed through the forest.
18
Duff the goat boy watched over
the grazing goats. He did not notice a
tentacle creeping out of a nearby hole.
More tentacles followed. A monster
rose up.
“Help!” Duff said.
The Princess in Black rode into the
goat pasture.
“BLEAT BOATS!” the monster
gurgled.
“Huh?” said Duff.
“Huh?” said the Princess in Black.
The monster lifted a tentacle to its
mouth. It coughed horribly.
20
“EAT GOATS!” the monster
shrieked.
“Ah,” said Duff.
“Ah,” said the Princess in Black.
All monsters were the same. They
only wanted to eat goats. They did
not care about a princess’s birthday.
21
The Princess in Black pushed a
switch on her scepter. It turned into
a staff.
“Behave, beast!” she shouted.
“Back to Monster Land.”
“NO! EAT GOATS!” it said.
So the tentacled monster and the
Princess in Black waged battle.
24
The monster went back into the
hole. They always did. Eventually.
“Hooray!” said Duff.
25
The Princess in Black waved. She
and her pony raced back to the castle.
Moments later, Princess Magnolia
came out of the broom closet. Her hair
was a little messy.
She ran down the stairs. She opened
the castle door.
“Happy Birthday!” shouted
the twelve sparkly princesses.
Princess Magnolia was having a
wonderful time. The sandwiches
were delicious. The tablecloths were
fancy. The princesses were delightful.
It was a perfect party.
“Open the presents!” said Princess
Snapdragon.
30
“Yes, do!” said the other eleven
princesses.
Princess Magnolia clapped her
hands. She could hardly wait.
“Oh, thank you!” she said. “Presents
make a party particularly perfect.”
31
Just then, her glitter-stone ring
rang.
It was time to open presents. It
was not a good time for a monster
attack.
“What is that ringing noise?”
asked Princess Snapdragon.
32
“It’s an alarm,” said Princess
Magnolia.
She couldn’t tell them it was the
monster alarm. Then they might
guess that she was the Princess in
Black. No one knew she was the
Princess in Black. (Except Blacky,
of course.)
“That alarm means it’s . . . time
for a game!” said Princess Magnolia.
“Yay!” said Princess Bluebell.
“What game should we play?”
“Um, how about hide-and-seek?”
said Princess Magnolia. “Not It!”
33
Princess Tulip was It. She counted.
The princesses sneaked away.
34
Princess Honeysuckle hid under a
table.
Princess Crocus hid behind the
bathroom door.
35
Princess Magnolia hid in the broom
closet.
Hide-and-seek made Princess
Sneezewort nervous. She was not
afraid of hiding. She was afraid of
never being found.
37
Princess Sneezewort blended in
with the drapes.
38
Princess Sneezewort blended in
with the table lamps.
Princess Sneezewort blended in
with the rug.
39
Princess Tulip walked by. But she
did not notice Princess Sneezewort.
Princess Sneezewort sighed. She
was lonely. The rug wasn’t very good
company.
41
She had seen Princess Magnolia
hide in the broom closet. She would
follow. At least then she wouldn’t
have to hide alone.
Princess Sneezewort opened the
closet. There was Princess Magno-
lia’s fluffy dress. There were her glass
slippers. But there was no Princess
Magnolia.
“That’s curious,” said Princess
Sneezewort. “Where did she go?”
The Princess in Black was back in
the goat pasture. Normally, fighting
monsters was a pleasant way to pass
an afternoon. But today she wanted
to open presents.
“Behave, beast!” she said.
“NO! EAT GOATS!” said the
scaly monster.
43
The Princess in Black sighed.
Monsters could be so exasperating.
When would they learn? She would
not let them eat the goats!
The Princess in Black and the scaly
monster waged battle.
45
The monster went back to Monster
Land. They always did. Eventually.
46
The Princess in Black raced back
to the castle.
She crawled back up the chute.
47
She pulled on the fluffy dress. She
slipped on the glass slippers.
“Where did you come from?” said
a voice.
Princess Magnolia froze.
Princess Magnolia was not alone in
the broom closet.
“Who’s there?” asked Princess
Magnolia.
“It’s me. Princess Sneezewort.”
Princess Magnolia squinted. All
she saw were some brooms.
The brooms moved.
49
“Wow, Princess Sneezewort,”
she said. “You blended in with the
brooms. You’re really good at hiding.”
“So are you,” said Princess
Sneezewort. “I’ve been in this closet
for an hour. I saw your dress. I didn’t
think you were in it.”
The closet door opened.
51
“I found you!” said Princess Tulip.
“You two are good hiders. I checked
this closet three times.”
“That is curious,” said Princess
Sneezewort.
Shall we do presents now?” asked
Princess Mali.
“We really should,” said Princess
Euphoria. “Presents make a party
particularly perfect.”
53
“Oh, goody!” said Princess Magnolia.
There was a ringing sound.
“What is that noise?” asked Princess
Orchid.
“It’s the alarm again,” said Princess
Magnolia. She sighed. “Um . . . it’s
time for the races.”
The princesses went outside. The
princesses mounted their mounts.
Ready, set, go!
Princess Magnolia and her unicorn,
Frimplepants, won the first race.
Princess Sneezewort and her pig,
Sir Hogswell, came in last.
56
There was a second race. Princess
Bluebell and her Pegasus, Jollybuck,
won.
Princess Sneezewort and Sir
Hogswell came in last.
57
There was a third race. Princess
Zinnia and her stag, Santa Bear, won.
There was a fourth race. Princess
Apple Blossom and her antelope, Ed,
won.
59
Princess Sneezewort was always
last. Sir Hogswell did not believe in
races. Sir Hogswell did not believe in
speed. Sir Hogswell believed in din-
ner, dessert, and a good night’s sleep.
From the back, Princess Sneezewort
could see all the princesses. She could
see all their mounts. But she could
no longer see Princess Magnolia and
Frimplepants.
61
There was a fifth race. That time,
Princess Magnolia came in last. She
rode up behind Princess Sneezewort.
Her hair was messy. Her glass slip-
pers were on the wrong feet.
“That is curious,” said Princess
Sneezewort.
Now is it time for presents?” asked
Princess Apple Blossom.
“I hope so,” said Princess Magnolia.
“Because presents make a party —”
63
The ringing noise interrupted her.
“Another alarm?” asked Princess
Sneezewort.
“Yes . . .” Princess Magnolia frowned.
“It’s time to do . . . the maze! We can
open presents after. I promise.”
The princesses entered the garden
maze.
Princess Sneezewort got lost.
She thought she would be
the last one out.
66
Eventually she found the exit.
Eleven princesses were waiting. But
one more was still in the maze.
67
Finally Princess Magnolia emerged.
Her hair was even messier. Her dress
was inside out.
“That is remarkably curious,” said
Princess Sneezewort.
Now is it time for presents?” asked
Princess Euphoria.
“Um . . .” said Princess Magnolia.
She held her breath. She listened.
She looked at her
ring. No ringing.
“Yes!” she said. “It really is time for
presents.”
69
The princesses went back to the
tower. They sat on sofas. Princess
Hyacinth handed Princess Magnolia
the first gift.
70
It felt heavy and round. Could it
be a racing helmet? A goldfish bowl?
A crystal ball? Princess Magnolia
couldn’t wait to see!
Then something happened. Some-
thing that made Princess Magnolia
want to cry.
Her glitter-stone ring rang.
71
It was really, really time for presents.
It was a really, really bad time for a
monster attack.
“Does that alarm mean it’s time for
presents?” asked Princess Honeysuckle.
Princess Magnolia whimpered.
“Please stay here,” she said. “I’ll be
right back. I promise.”
Princess Magnolia left her tower
room. She sneaked into the broom
closet again. She changed her clothes
again.
73
She went down the chute. She
high-jumped the castle wall. Blacky
was waiting. She landed on his back.
They rode through the forest. They