Introduction
The Jewel Kingdom is a chapter book series by husband-and-wife team Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner. Four young girls are chosen by King Regal and Queen Gemma of the Jewel Kingdom to rule their own lands (In the original series, they are sisters. In the re-released version, they are cousins with only Roxanne the Ruby princess being the current rulers' daughter). Each one possesses a magical artifact to help her do so. And they do need all the help they can get because the evil Lord Bleak, former king, might be banished, but he still regularly sends his Darklings into the Jewel Kingdom in an attempt to retake his throne.
This is a pretty fun series, even if some of the names are kind of silly and the plots are predictable for adults. Each princess gets to rule a jewel-themed land and in each book the princess learns an important lesson that can be shared with readers. The books are highly illustrated. While the originals came with toy jewelry, the new versions come with stickers.
I like the move to make the princesses more diverse, though I must say it makes me wonder even more about the political situation in the Jewel Kingdom. The new books do not say why the king and queen want to give three of their nieces part of their kingdom and they never mention the girls' parents because, well, the girls didn't have separate parents in the original iteration. In my head, they now all have a dark backstory where they were orphaned due to the evil machinations of the Lord Bleak. None of them seems in the least bit affected by this, though.
Definitely a fun read for any newly independent readers who love princesses.
Below are my thoughts on the first four (out of thirteen) Jewel Kingdom books:
The Ruby Princess Runs Away
Today is the day that Roxanne and her cousins will be crowned Jewel Princesses! But though her cousins seem excited, Roxanne worries that she is not strong or bold enough to a princess. So she runs away instead. But when her decision jeopardizes her new kingdom, Roxanne shows she has the true heart of princess by being willing to help those in need. This book deftly introduces the relevant geography and backstory of the series, while still offering an engaging adventure with a sweet message.
The Sapphire Princess Meets a Monster
Sabrina the Sapphire Princess is excited to host her cousins for a picnic. But a terrifying monsters emerges from the lake, causing her people to prepare to fight back. Sabrina, however, is not so sure that the monster is a monster at all. Could looks be deceiving? This is a simple adventure solved pretty quickly, but it does have a good message about not judging by appearances. I was somehow mostly left with the thought that Sabrina got cheated with her magical artifact--a pouch of dust. All the other princesses got reusable items. Does her pouch come with a free refill?
The Emerald Princess Plays a Trick
Emily the Emerald Princess loves playing practical jokes, but her subjects do not find it funny. When she goes a little too far, her people blame her for injuring one of her friends. Now Emily will have to prove that she did not do it--and save her people from a Darkling plot. I have to love this one because I love trees and unicorns--and Emily's book has both.
The Diamond Princess Saves the Day
It's time to celebrate in the White Winterland, but Demetra and her advisor Finley just can't get along. But when some goblins call for help, Demetra will have to learn to be less stubborn and get along with Finley. This adventure seems a bit more random than the others, but it teaches about friendship and teamwork.
Source for books: Library
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