The first volume in a series of wonderfully funny fairy tales for teens (and adults...heck, I'm 36 and love this series!). Cimorene doesn't want to be the typical princess, so she voluntarily goes to a dragon to become a "captive," just so she can break out of the rut she's in in the castle. The dragon she stays with teaches her many new skills, and she becomes an even more capable and smart woman.

I love this series because Cimorene takes her destiny into her own hands instead of waiting for it to happen to her. She's not your usual "Disney" princess, hoping someone else does all the work and she can reap the rewards. She's smart enough to know that your life is yours to live and you have to live it YOUR way. What a great message for every young person, girl OR boy, to have in their pocket.

Aside from the obvious feminist overtones of the books, they're also great adventures and amazingly written fantasy. Eventually, in a later book, Cimorene does find love, but she finds it on HER terms with someone who is kind and smart, not just handsome and brave. A very satisfying read on many levels.

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This series begins with Dealing With Dragons (then Searching for, Talking to, and Calling)...and is GREAT! It's like a feminist alternate fairy tale. Suitable for both youth and adults.

I loved this series so much and felt that it was an entertaining way to make the statement, "girls can grow up and do whatever the heck they want to!!", that after reading it I rushed out and bought the whole series for my nieces!

Princess Cimorene isn't like other princesses! Her parents want her to be a proper princess, and dance and smile and marry a nice prince. Cimorene thinks that the prince is handsome - but unfortunately isn't anything else! Foiled in her attempts to learn unprincess-ly pursuits, such as weaponry, cooking, magic and alchemy, she sets off to be a Dragon's Princess, agreeing to cook (she makes a mean cherries jubilee) and clean for the dragon...but in the process has to fend off stupid knights and princes who just won't leave her un-rescued! Funny, bitingly witty, and marvelously sarcastic...you'll never see the subtle social commentary coming!

If you liked this book, try Mercedes Lackey's also-very-non-traditional look at fairy tales, The Fairy Godmother, which is just excellent...charming and original, with another strong female protagonist. There's a follow-up called One Good Knight, but it's not nearly as good. And, if you like THAT, try renting the movie miniseries The Tenth Kingdom, a modern take on classic fairytale themes.

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Cimorene may be a princess, but she would rather keep house for a dragon than marry some silly prince. A charming YA fantasy adventure which pokes fun at numerous fairytale stereotypes. It has dragons, a stone prince, evil wizards, and one very determined and level-headed princess. A winner!

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I loved this entire series. Every little girl should read these books. Not exactly Secret Garden or Anne of Green Gables, but very cute, very funny and pokes its nose at the typical princess stories.

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Excellent series, especially if you like a story about a woman taking charge of her life. The princess in these boks is very strong minded and doesn't settle for the normal princess life. Definately read this story!

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I have had this book on my bookshelf to read for a very very long time. This was a cute fantasy read with a lot of humor in it, I enjoyed it and think it would be best suited to middle grade and young adult readers.

Princess Cimorene doesn't want to do normal princess things so she comes up with a plan. Instead of waiting to be kidnapped by a dragon she runs away and strikes a deal with a dragon. However she doesnt count on the evil wizards trying to wreck havoc with the dragons and their politics.

This was a very cute read best suited to middle grade readers. I enjoyed the humor throughout and all the quirky dragons and princesses. The story is very simple and very short, so I think most adults will be a bit bored...however if you are an adult that really enjoys middle grade level reads you will probably like this.

I loved Princess Cimorene and her desire to do something that fell outside the norm for a princess. I also really enjoyed all the scenes where knights kept turning up to rescue her and she would turn them away.

Additionally the dragon Kazul was a very fun character and I really enjoyed how Kazul and Cimorene developed a solid and caring friendship over the course of the book.

The book teaches some good lessons; basically that its okay to do your own thing and that girls are fully capable of rescuing themselves when they are in tricky situations.

Overall this was a very cute and fun little fantasy read. Its a very short book and the plot is fairly simple and straightforward...so I would recommend to the middle grade age group. There is a lot of humor in the book and the story moves quickly so it makes for an engaging read. Although I enjoyed the story, I didnt find that it kept me thinking or guessing or wondering. The story wraps up pretty well too. As a result I probably wont read the rest of the books in the series. I just have too much to read and (although I enjoyed this book) I just didnt really find myself wanting to read more about these characters by the end of it.

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I LOOOVE this book! I've read it and re-read ever since high school. It's the perfect book for the spunky fantasy-girl who's looking for adventure!

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I love this series. I read the first years ago and was thrilled to find the rest as an adult when I met my husband. Witty dialogue, strong characters.

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I got this book on the recommendation of a friend for my 10-year old granddaughter. I read it before sending it to her. I think she will enjoy reading it. It's about a princess who doesn't want to be the usual proper princess. In my day we would have called her a "tom boy." She runs away from home so that she doesn't have to marry the prince her parents chose for her and finds herself involved in a world of dragons, wizards, and witches, and loving it. While this isn't my genre of reading, I think my granddaughter will like it.

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Love this book. Read several times. Incorporates old fairy tale creatures with these new characters.

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This is a charming story about a princess who wants to learn about fighting, philosophy, politics and all manner of "non-princess" things. Who wants to learn dancing and embroidery anyway? When her father decides she should marry a prince that Cimorene considers a dunce she runs away. Of course, she meets a dragon - a female dragon named Kazul - who wants a princess. Cimorene finds challenge in her new role as a princess to a dragon. The down side is when a prince comes to try to rescue her. She doesn't want to be rescued. Discouraging knights and princes who want to rescue her and outwitting wizards becomes part of her new life. In addition, she begins to learn magic. The story unfolds with wicked wizards, a friendly witch, trouble and danger as Cimorene and Kazul form a bond unlike that any other dragon has with his/her princess. It's a delightful tale for young readers with a princess role model quite different from those found princes wish to rescue from dragons.

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Unconventional Princess Cimorene doesn't fit the Princess stereotype. Definitely a hands-on kinda gal who likes to fence, cook and translate Latin verbs (?) - very un-princess-like behavior. When the King decrees she marry an unsuitable (read lame-ass) prince, she rebels and takes off for parts unknown. Enter the dragons who need a princess to - surprisingly enough - cook and congugate Latin verbs...go figure! This works out well for all concerned until the knights start arriving to rescue Cimorene who most assuredly does not want to be rescued.

Not quite a young adult novel, more like early teens, but cute and enjoyable nonetheless. I really liked Cimorene and her friend Princess Alianora. And, of course, her dragon, Kazul. I liked it so much I went to the library on my way home and picked up book 2 - Searching for Dragons.

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