What a delightful book. The ten-year-old Queen who is the main protagonist is not given a name, and does not appear to have any living relatives. However she lives in a palace with several ladies-in-waiting, a cook, a treasurer and the prime minister and his wife. They all have their foibles but she usually manages to stand up to them.

The first chapter involves the gardener's boy, the likeable Michael, finding a birthday present for the queen from the general population, and being swindled - but with happy results. Other chapters include some major alterations to the palace and a camping exodus for the staff, and a day when the Queen and the cook changed places... with amusing results.

The writing is good, the pace just right for children. It also makes an excellent read-aloud; there's some humour which goes right over the heads of children, but which makes it all the more enjoyable for adults. I have just spent a couple of days reading 'Happy and Glorious' to my five-year-old grandson, and he found some of it extremely funny.

Highly recommended as a read-aloud, or for readers up to the age of about nine or ten.

Full review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2019/08/happy-and-glorious-by-hilary-mckay.... ( )

A collection of slightly silly, but very funny and enjoyable stories about a ten-year-old Queen and her loyal Royal Donkey. ( )