The Princess and The Stools

posted on January 20, 2026 by Eve Panzer

The Princess and The Stools

Written by Mr. Kind

Illustrated in collaboration with ChildBook.AI

MrKindStories.com Youthwide.com 2025

 

At first glance, you may think The Princess and the Stools is a typical folk story. However, the reader will soon discover that this story turns the everyday fairytale on its head.   Yes, there is a villain – the troll – but he is not out to harm anyone.  And of course, there is the prerequisite princess who is beautiful, magical, and kind, but she is not looking for a prince to live happily ever after with. Sure, there is a handsome, brave knight, but he is tiny, not big and strapping.

The purple-nosed troll in the story is not happy; he “…never wore a smile and never thought to laugh.”  But who could blame him?  “He slept on pillows embroidered with thorns and used a stone for a bed.” He was only in search of a comfortable bed and a good night’s sleep.  And he knew exactly how he could get those – by stealing the princess’s magical stools to make himself a magical bed.

When the princess discovers some of her magical stools are missing, the king does as she requests, “Send a knight with a sword as mighty as the sun.”  Despite being the smallest knight, everyone agreed he was the right man for the job. And even though the troll was short like the knight, he was quite burly for his size. In fact, “His belly was bigger than a bowling ball, which is really, really big when you’re not that very tall.”  So, how could this diminutive knight retrieve the stools from such an adversary? Perhaps with a little magic of his own, mixed with kindness, cleverness, and friendship, Sir Rum the Knight can save the day.

The Princess and the Stools is rather long for a picture book, which may make it difficult for young audiences to sit through in one reading. And some new readers may find the pages that are filled with text a bit overwhelming. However, the innovative, quirky rhythms and rhymes, along with the plot, help keep children engaged.

The illustrations are AI-generated, and the author credits collaboration with ChildBook AI for their creation. The artwork is detailed, and the lighting gives many of them an ethereal, fantasy feel – especially those featuring the moon and the forest. Fans of AI-generated pictures will especially enjoy the art.

Although this story has the familiar elements of many folktales, it is anything but commonplace. Knights don’t need to be tall and brawny to be brave and come to the rescue. Trolls can have a good reason to be grumpy. And sometimes princesses just need a knight to return their stolen property.  If you are looking for the unexpected, a tale that is offbeat and out-of-the-box, The Princess and the Stools is for you.

Reviewed by Eve Panzer, Barefoot Librarian for Reader Views

January 2026

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