Susan E. Connolly

This small book was utterly charming. When Annie Brave's Dad goes missing, one of the famous heroes to go missing recently because of an evil wizard, Greenlott, Annie decides that she has to go out and rescue him. Her father has always said that she would make a great damsel in distress but she is certain that she can use her father's partially finished book to get this done.

Annie is a great character, she's clever and brave and determined and fun. She learns from her mistakes and is determined to rescue her dad, no matter what, no matter that the prince frog wants to marry her, that some well-meaning adults want to care for her, no matter that at the end the heroes she rescues want to keep her in their mental space for her. A great heroine.

Good read, great heroine, a story about friendship and bravery and the illustrations really add to the story.… (mere)

Annie Brave's father is a Hero, while she is training to be a future Damsel. But one day, her father goes missing and there are no other Heroes available to look for him. So Annie decides that she will have to rescue him herself and sets off on a Quest. Along the way, she has various adventures, meets Roger of Rockfield and deals with the Prince Frog.

One of the things I liked most about Damsel is that Annie doesn't start out wanting to be a boy, or do boy things, or even to try and prove that a girl is as good as a boy. Instead, she realises that there is no one else who can save her father, so she has to do it. She also prepares for her Quest by checking her father's manual, rather than simply blundering off. It makes a refreshing change from the usual fare.

I found it a fun read, but it is definitely a children's book, rather than a young adult one. I would recommend it to 8-10 year olds (and their parents) without qualm, and wish it had been around when I was that age.

Why I picked it up: The author is the younger sister of a friend of mine. Though I probably would have bought it anyway, once I'd become aware of it.… (mere)