The Princess in Black and the hungry bunny horde by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale

Ill. by LeUyen Pham. The Princess in Black, bk 3. Candlewick Press, 2016. ISBN 9780763665135
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Princess Magnolia is off to have brunch with her friend Princess Sneezewort, when her glitter-stone ring rings and she is summoned to fight monsters as the Princess in Black. But when she and her unicorn Frimplepants, who turns into Blackie her horse, arrive at the goat meadow they find cute little rabbits nibbling on the grass. Even though Duff the Goat boy warns her that they are monsters, the Princess in Black thinks that the rabbits are really little darlings. Blackie her horse is not so sure of their innocence, especially when they start eating the princess's sceptre, and has to use his power to understand what the rabbits are saying and help save the day.
This is the third in the series and is just as good as the previous ones, The princess in black, and The princess in black and the perfect princess party. The contrast of an endearing princess who looks adorable dressed in sparkly pink and her bold endeavours as a superhero dressed in black is one that is sure to appeal to young readers. The idea that she can be comfortable both in pink and black, taking on two demanding roles, is a sure-fire winner. The cute little bunnies are so well drawn that they appeal to the reader as well as to the Princess in Black, and it is a good thing that Blackie can speak the rabbits' cute language and warn the princess of danger.
I love the Princess in Black stories. I adore the humour, the whimsical illustrations and best of all, my six year old granddaughter loves them too! They are ideal for children who are just starting to become independent readers, with short chapters, names that can be remembered like Frimplepants and Princess Sneezewort, and charming characters and funny plots.
The combination of humorous prose, an engaging plot and wonderful illustrations is a winning one.
Pat Pledger