With the arduous saga of Faith Quest successfully behind her, Princess Maagy, in Warrior, the fourth in the Maagy series of books, is forced to take on the role of Commander-in-Chief of her nation when King Henry is abducted from Avington Palace. The political intrigue and disruptive forces that are bent on subverting their realm are described in graphic and fulsome terms, with one being left in no doubt that Maagy is a potent power worthy to be reckoned with. The dynamic narrative consistently propels the reader forward to the culmination of this young woman’s heroism. As the youthful reader is caught up in the exigencies of the moment, she is likely not even to be aware of the values that are being imparted along the way—those of self-sacrifice, nobility of spirit and the undaunted and unquenchable awareness of self and others that imbues and enriches this fine work.

Despite Virginia Burton Stringer’s sometimes overly detailed and specific diction, her knowledge and experience as a seasoned dramatist and playwright leads her to render her characters in action and on the move most of the time. Rather than mooning over problems that beset her, Princess Maagy, for instance, takes the bull by the horns, setting out with intrepid valor to rescue her father from the heinous clutches of his sworn and diabolical enemies. Stringer’s use of direct speech also tangibly adds to the graspability of the plot, as it advances from scene to scene. The descriptions of activities “on set,” so to say, are lively and original, so that, even if the occasional pedantry does slip through, overall the tale has a momentum that unavoidably overwhelms the reader and sweeps them along in its wake.

The sound ethics that underline each segment of the work reveal much about the character of the author herself, who is clearly a person of integrity and insightful judgment. With the chief protagonist’s unquenchable zest for adventure being portrayed in swashbuckling style, Stringer’s ability to spin a yarn that fleshes out the personalities of her own daughters (all combined in the nuances of Princess Maagy’s dramatis personae) with her own imaginative skill raises Warrior from the level of conventional teenage fantasy to a riveting tale of daring-do that is just as much a coming-of-age saga as a telling of mythical mayhem and mischief.

The psychological depth of the psyches of especially the lead characters, but even the minor ones as well, shows the extent of Stringer’s ability to empathize with others. Her teaching background and wealth of experience are clearly revealed by the way that she describes the inner workings of her cast of diverse individuals. Warrior is assuredly a book worth reading, and one that all parents should consider acquiring for their adolescent daughters, Princess Maagy is such a worthwhile role model for them to follow.

Just Maagy tells of a spoiled Crown Princess, one Melania Abigail Alice Grace, a spoiled thirteen-year-old who insists on always having her own way. She often gets it, but her aging father knows he’d better change her ways, or his kingdom will suffer.

So he takes her to the Summer Castle, hoping its caretakers, an elderly couple rumored to be enchanters, will teach Maagy about kindness and patience. Nobody can teach this willful child anything; but as she explores her new home, she uncovers mysteries and challenges that provide her step-by-step paths to becoming a better person.

It’s unusual to find a fairytale for middle readers – most are directed to younger audiences – but Just Maagy succeeds in providing an involving plot based not just on magic, but on a spoiled princess’s journey to becoming a leader and gaining maturity. This compelling story will reach from middle school into high school grade levels with its feisty protagonist and a host of problems surrounding her growth.

Just Maagy by Virginia Stringer is a story about 13 year old princess Princess Melania Abigail Alice Grace or Just Maagy.

Maagy is a spoiled young lady whose aging father King Henry has given her everything she has ever wanted. She knows no bounds and insists on everything and anything going her way. On the morning of her 13th birthday she throws a tantrum because there was no spomoni ice cream and that was one of the things she wanted right NOW. It didn’t matter that it was being made and would be ready for her birthday party that very day.

After witnessing too many outbursts, tantrums and blatant disrespect thrown at his staff he makes a hard decision to send the Princess away so that when he is gone she will be the perfect one to rule the kingdom.

Grandpa Kris and Grandma Polly are at Summer Castle and ready to teach her the things she will need to rule in the proper manner as her father has. She will learn how to be kind, resourceful, patience and above all else humility.

This is where the story gets really good! The Princess will meet all kinds of characters that will change the way she views the world and herself!

My kids and I read books together and this was really fun to read with them. The vocabulary was great and thankfully Virginia gives us a glossy with characters, terms used in the book and a fun Huggermugger lesson on words in the back. We referred to these pages often.

The next time I am in Brooklyn I am dying to take them to Spumoni Gardens so they can finally try Spumoni.

If you are looking for a great book for your daughters to read this Summer. This is one!

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