Review: The Paper Bag Princess

There's no doubt that princesses are popular among many, many little girls and boys. I'm not sure it took me so long to realize this, but Ariel, from my beloved childhood movie Little Mermaid, isn't much of a role model for girls, or for anybody really. She's spunky, but her life kind of happens to her. Some of the latter day Disney princesses, like Tiana and Rapunzel, have more going for them, but there's still a lot of room for dialogue about how these stories affect our children. And there's still room for improvement. As a parent, I have attempted to find the middle ground. I allow my children unfettered access to most everything princess, but make sure I also offer up royal-themed books and media that will challenge their hearts and minds, like Laurel Snyder's Up and Down Scratchy Mountain and Phillipe Lerchermeier's The Secret Lives of Princesses.

Before princess ubiquity had risen to unprecedented levels, and before princess backlash was even really a thing, there was Robert Munsch's The Paper Bag Princess. This is a simple but powerful story about a girl named Elizabeth who outsmarts a nasty dragon and pretty much everyone else she encounters. She doesn't need a prince or a knight in shining armor. She uses her wits and she rescues herself. It was originally published in 1980, when I was but a wee girl, myself. It has recently been released in the Kindle format.

I love the illustrations. I love the "message" and the fact that it's there, but it's understated. Elizabeth is a paper bag princess because her original dress got burned up. No big. She can still do what she needs to do to get along, and with aplomb. My girls, ages 3 and 6, really enjoy this book. I am an unabashed fan of Kindle editions when they are available. I love the touch and feel of a "real" book, but as a slightly scatterbrained mom of 3, I love to have books available at a few clicks when we're on vacation or in a doctor's office, and I love books that I can't step on or spill my coffee on. This book is currently very affordable in a Kindle edition so it might be a good time to add it to your collection.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.