

Shannon Hale's series doesn't require you to read the books in any particular order, so you can jump right into this book. The Princess in Black's reaction to those adorable bunnies is priceless in contrast to the sheep herder's distress. In this book, The Hungry Bunny Horde is irreverent, dryly funny, and the illustrations compliment the text perfectly.

However, I needn't worry about the direction of the Princess' character development & adventures. The 2nd book wasn't as quirky & idiosyncratic as the 1st. When I read the 2nd in the series, I wondered if the conceit of an atypical princess & her adventures would sustain my interest (as well as other adult child readers). In fact, after reading this latest instalment, I can see direct influences of the classic fantasy novel/film as well as Monty Python humour & adventures in Hale's series. The closest fictional character I would compare her to is the great Dread Pirate Roberts (aka Wesley) in The Princess Bride. The first Princess in Black book introduces an atypical princess who fancies herself a hero, not unlike a combination of Don Quixote, a ninja and Zorro.

Out of the three books in the Princess in Black series, the Hungry Bunny Horde is by far my favourite illustrated novels.
