The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede

What do you do with a Princess who refuses to act like a Princess? 
Well, once she gets fed up and runs away to live with dragons...you simply want to know more about her.  I love the story of spunky Cimorene, from her first meeting with Kuzul to the adventures of her firstborn. 
In the first book, Dealing with Dragons, Cimorene decides that enough is enough when her parents try to marry her off like a good princess, and she runs off.  She ends up volunteering to be a dragon's princess, which is an adventure in itself. 
In the second book, Searching for Dragons, we meet Mendenbar, king of the Enchanted Forest and join him and Cimorene on a search for Kuzul, King of the Dragons.  The adventures get them into all sorts of delightful trouble, from a malfunctioning magic carpet to an eccentric magician.  Throughout the series, fairy tale lore is woven in as if it is simply Urban Legend fare...something the Fairy Tale characters put up with because, well, there's a grain of truth hidden in there somewhere.  This book has an incredibly rich description of magic in the enchanted forest...the imagery is divine. 
The third book, Calling on Dragons, introduces a 6 ft bunny named...Killer.  Poor Killer brings news that the wizards are again stirring up trouble in the Enchanted Forest.  It's up to Morwen, Cimorene and Mendenbar to save the day.  Unfortunately, the book ends without resolving all storylines...and readers are left to eagerly await the final installment. 
And finally...Book four.  Talking to Dragons introduces the character of Daystar.  If you've read the previous 3 books, you will know Daystar's history better than he does, but it only increases enjoyment of his baffled reaction and bumbling aventure.  You see, one day Daystar's mother melts a wizard, hands him a sword and tells him to go straight into the Enchanted Forest and figure out what it is he's supposed to do.  He runs into many old friends of us readers, but is always left just a little bit in the dark and left to take things on faith and follow his own instincts.  He's joined by a firewitch who has no control over her own powers, and between the two of them they find themselves caught up in a battle between dragons and wizards...and the only one who can save the day is Daystar.  (Who is still trying to sort everything out and acting mostly on instinct.) 
These are quick, delicious reads that will transport you out of the doldrums and lighten your spirit.  Appropriate for any age, although there is a bit of danger in dragon fire and a few bad-guys get eaten, the storyline is most suited for 4th grade and up.  Adults will enjoy these as much as the kids. 
Luckily, we aren't completely abandoned at the end of the fourth book.  There is a companion volume, Book of Enchantments.  Book of Enchantments is a series of short stories, only a few of which are directly elated to the Enchanted Forest, and yet still satisfies the hunger for more from this author. 
5 stars and two thumbs up!