16 of the best queens in fiction
It's the Queen's 95th birthday in 2021, which is pretty impressive - and she is already our longest-serving monarch.
Children's books are full of varied and colourful portrayals of queens: some wield Evil Powers, while others save the day in interesting ways. Nearly all are characters you'll find hard to forget.
So whether you want to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's reign, powerful female role models, or just simply age and wisdom, take a look at our top fictional queens below.
- Have some fun on the Queen's birthday: learn how to make Queen's Knickers bunting in five easy steps!
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Queen Munch and Queen Nibble
Author: Carol Ann Duffy Illustrator: Lydia Monks
Publisher: Two Hoots
Interest age: 5-9
Reading age: 7-9This is a story of a queen who loves to eat and one who does not - but at its heart, it's more a celebration of difference and finding something in common between people. Sweet, funny and enticing, with vivid imagery from the Poet Laureate.
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Queen of Darkness
Author: Tony Bradman
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 9-12
Reading age: 9+Rhianna and Eleri are taken in by Queen Boudica following the death of their parents. When Boudica's determination to rule enrages the Romans, the sisters find themselves in the midst of a frightening military campaign, beginning to question the Queen's very humanity. A gripping adventure portraying one of history's most legendary female icons.
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Swordswoman!
Author: Devika Rangachari Illustrator: Amerigo Pinelli
Publisher: Pushkin
Interest age: 10-14
Reading age: 9+Truth really is more exciting than fiction in this dramatic, real-life adventure showcasing the bravery, compassion and military prowess of a young Rani during the Indian uprising of 1857.
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Get Up, Elizabeth!
Author: Shirin Yim Bridges Illustrator: Alea Marley
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 6+Before she became Queen Elizabeth I, Bess was just a little girl who struggled to get out of bed in the morning - just like everyone else! This charming, gently humorous picture book makes an important historical figure relatable to young people.
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Greek Myths
Author: Jean Menzies Illustrator: Katie Ponder
Publisher: DK
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+A wealth of Greek myths and legends are told engagingly and simply in this gorgeously illustrated hardback, filled with colourful, graphic illustration by Katie Ponder.
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The BFG
Author: Roald Dahl Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 7+The BFG stands for Big Friendly Giant, who unexpectedly spirits a little girl named Sophie out of bed, and into the land of the child-eating giants.
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The Snow Queen
Author: Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator: P J Lynch
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 7+Lynch's vivid yet ethereal illustrations capture the balance between the wondrous and the recognisable in this powerful story about the redemptive nature of love and the passing of time.
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The Princess Diaries
Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: Macmillan Children's books
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 11+Mia hides her real feelings as she takes care of her disastrously disorganised mother, until her absent father drops a bombshell: She is actually Princess Amelia of Genovia.
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carroll Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Publisher: Walker Books
This lovely edition illustrated by Helen Oxenbury won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1999.
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Cloudland
Author: John Burningham
Publisher: Random House
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 7+On the way home from a day spent high in the mountains, Albert trips and falls off into the clouds. His parents are very sad. Fortunately the Cloud Children come to his rescue...
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Me, the Queen and Christopher
Author: Giles Andreae Illustrator: Tony Ross
Publisher: Orchard Books
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 7+A warm, touching and funny tale of an unusual meeting with the Queen
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Author: C S Lewis
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy - step through a wardrobe door in the strange country house where they are staying, they find themselves in the land of Narnia.
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The Queen & Mr Brown: A Day for Dinosaurs
Author: James Francis Wilkins
Publisher: The Natural History Museum
This picture book will make younger readers chuckle as the Queen and her corgi take a trip to London's Natural History Museum and ponder about what really made the dinosaurs die out.
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Two Weeks with the Queen
Author: Morris Gleitzman
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 10+When his brother becomes seriously ill with leukaemia, Colin is sent to stay with relatives in England. Determined to get the best help possible, he decides to approach the Queen.
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Ellie's Magical Bakery: A Royal Tea for Royalty
Author: Ellie Simmonds Illustrator: Kimberley Scott
Publisher: Red Fox
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 6+This is the fourth in the Ellie's Magical Bakery series. Ellie tries to win a trip to London by magically helping her relatives to succeed in a baking competition in order to swim in the Olympic Park Pool.
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The Queen’s Knickers
Author: Nicholas Allan
Publisher: Random House
Interest age: 0-6
Reading age: 4-6Let's face it: knickers are funny, and in The Queen's Knickers, Nicholas Allan makes them even funnier with this cheeky look inside the Queen's wardrobe.
