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

galloped into the goat pasture. Again.

75

Yet another monster was terrorizing

the goats. A pink monster this time.

“ROOAARR!” it said. “EAT

GOAT —”

“No!” said the Princess in Black.

“No eating goats. I don’t want to fight

any more monsters today! I have had it.

It’s my BIRTHDAY. And it’s time for

PRESENTS. Do you hear me? I said,

IT’S TIME FOR PRESENTS!”

The pink monster winced. Its ears

rang. The Princess in Black yelled

quite loudly.

The pink monster was questioning

its decision to leave Monster Land.

77

Sure, Monster Land had no goats.

But it also had no yelling princesses.

78

Now things were awkward. It

seemed today was the Princess in

Black’s birthday. She was expecting

presents. And the pink monster hadn’t

brought a thing.

79

It checked its pockets. Oh, goody!

Stones! Pink stones it had found in

a cave. There were twelve of them.

They would have to do.

The pink monster held out the

stones. The pink monster cleared its

throat.

it roared politely.

The twelve princesses waited in the

tower room. Princess Magnolia was

still gone. It had been a long time.

“Perhaps she’s playing hide-and-

seek again?” said Princess Zinnia.

84

They searched the castle. No

Princess Magnolia.

“Maybe she’s in the broom closet,”

said Princess Sneezewort. “She was

in there last time.”

They went to the broom closet.

Princess Sneezewort reached for the

door handle.

Just then, Princess Magnolia came

out. Her hair was extremely messy.

Her dress was inside out and back-

ward. One of her glass slippers was

missing.

86

“Princess Magnolia, you keep dis-

appearing,” said Princess Sneezewort.

“Every time it’s time for presents.”

“I do?” said Princess Magnolia.

“Yes, you do,” said Princess

Sneezewort. “Don’t you want

presents? Where do you keep

going?”

Princess Magnolia looked down.

Her hands were full of stones. She

held them up.

“To get presents for you!” she

said. “After all, presents make a

party particularly perfect.”

87

She handed out the stones. There

was one for each princess. They were

clear and pink and very pretty.

“They’re perfect!”

said Princess

Sneezewort.

“Absolutely

perfect.”

It all was. The company. The games.

The gifts. It was the most perfect party

Princess Magnolia had ever had.