Help needed! DD (almost 7) wants books for her birthday. Her criteria is ...

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Preferably books about fairies or princesses. Quite a lot of writing in them (for her to read herself) BUT they must also have really nice coloured (detailed if possible) pictures in for her to be able look at too.

I find it tricky to reconcile the amount of writing that she wants WITH the coloured pictures.

If anyone has any recommendations then I'd really love to hear them!

TIA.

Not about fairies or princesses, but there is an illustrated version of Pippi Longstocking which I really liked, although it hasn't got masses of pictures.

Just checked and it is a bargain right now too...

Amazon

I have a DS who's not into fairies or princesses lol but whenever we go to bookshops the shelves seem to be overflowig with fairy and princess themed chapter books, I'm sure some of them have illustrations too.

What about some kind of compendium (is that the right word?) with lots of different fairy tales and illustrations, we have a couple from when DD was little

have you had a look at collections of fairy tales or princess treasury type books? something like this - lots of pictures - or this, but only b&w pics

or this?

Hi

Usborne young readers have lots of colourful pictures and about half a page of writing, they have a fairies and princess one as well as lots of others . Levels are graded 1 to 3.You can look inside on their website. Also Fairy Tales and the Nutcracker by Jan Pienkowsi have some beautiful illustrations

Or one of those mahoosive flower fairies books, they are lovely for girly girls

Not fairies or princesses, but how about the new Lauren Child-illustrated version of Pippi Longstocking here?

Or the Helen Oxenbury-illustrated versions of Alice In Wonderland (here) and Alice Through The Looking-Glass (here)?

How about Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures?

I think the Barefoot book of Princesses might fit the bill. It is a book of traditional tales (eg the Princess & the Pea) but they are quite 'grown-up' versions IYKWIM, and it has beautiful (coloured and detailed) pictures as well.

They also do a Barefoot book of Faeries as well I notice.

I can vouch for the Barefoot Book of Princesse - DD and I spent many a happy hour over that.
I seem to recall having a lot of Barefoot books actually.
We also had a lovely one by Sally Gardner whose title escapes me but was all about the fairies sewing a dress for the Fairy Queen, interspersed with stories and beautifully illustrated in a collage style.

Also Elsa Berskow is worth a look - she wrote a divine book about the Flower Fairies' Midsummer Night Ball.

We have all of her books and they're so lovely I'm keeping them for my fantasy DGCs!

Sorry that should be Elsa Beskow.
She's known as the Beatrix Potter of Scandinavia (although my DCs hated BP and loved her), and you can buy her books here.

'The Real Fairies Book' and 'The Book of Princesses' by Sally Gardner.

Wow - thank you SO much everyone! I've never had such a fantastic response to a thread and really appreciate it. Recognised some of the books which DD1/DD2 already have but there were lots on there that I hadn't heard of ... my Amazon shopping basket is now packed full and I'm over the moon.

On behalf of DD1 and I, thank you so much!