Shannon Hale

Princess Magnolia is at the Flower Festival prepping for the evening ball when suddenly she hears a commotion. Oh no! She isn't prepared to fight a monster or... a grumpy emu! To her surprise, a knight in shining armor comes to the rescue, but not before the princess's prized decorations are stomped on and destroyed. Luckily, the gallant Prince Valerian has his own secret identity -- the Prince in Pink -- and has been yearning for a chance to show...

"Stanley's thrilled for bookmobile day--until the old man at the window refuses to lend him the story he wants, all because it features a girl. 'Girl books' are only for girls, the book man insists, just like cat books are only for cats and robot books are only for robots. But when a dinosaur arrives at the bookmobile and successfully demands a book about ponies, Stanley musters the courage to ask for the tale he really wants--about a girl adventurer...