Friday, February 22, 2013

Not the Usual Princess stories



Miss K became Pink & Princess obsessed around the age of Three and a half.  If we had let her, I swear, she would have watched Barbie movies 24/7. Thankfully she liked all things Princess, not just Disney and Barbie. The only thing that kept DH and I sane were books that featured nontraditional Princesses. 

Today I have a list of newer (and re-released) titles for other parents who need a break from Disney and Barbie....


Princess Addison gets angry (by Molly Martin & illustrated by Mélanie Florian) is about a little Princess who gets mad (and throws a tantrum) when she can’t play outside. Mini Piwi really liked it and connected with little Addison. I really like that the Mother was very comforting and not simply  saying ‘Princesses don’t behave like that!’. Instead she has given Addison ideas about how to vent in better ways. This title would be appropriate for most young children as it teaches them that it is ok to be frustrated and how to deal with those feelings. The main character is a Princess but the book is written in a way that could appeal to non-princess fans. The illustrations are fun and really bring the characters to life. We will be looking for the rest of the books in the Princess Heart series. 

I read the Paper bag princess (by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko)   when I was Miss K’s age and loved it. I instantly recalled the pictures of the sleepy looking dragon when I heard the title again. Princess Elizabeth is to be married to a pompous Prince when he is kidnapped by a dragon. With a twist on the usual Fairy tale, it is the Princess who sets off to rescue the Prince. Elizabeth is one smart spunky girl who isn’t going to let anyone else determine her happily ever after. This is definitely a modern classic and I was thrilled when my own girls liked it as much as I did ‘back in the day’.
The messages the book sends:
  • Girls aren’t any less powerful or resourceful than boys.
  • Happily ever after isn’t like the movies!
  • If someone treats you badly you don’t have to stick around and put up with it.
The Poodle and the Pea by Charlotte Guillain, stays true to the traditional story of the Princess and the pea-except that all the characters are poodles.  I was hoping there would be some other twist to it but there really isn’t other novelty to it except for the illustrations of poodles dressed up in fancy clothes and living in a castle.. Overall it is a short and easy to read book for early readers. The Piwis thought it was pretty funny especially the Prince Poodle.

Want more book ideas?
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Netgalley sent the digital copies of the following books in return for an honest review.: The Poodle and the Pea, by Charlotte Guillain. (Capstone raintree, 2013), Paper bag princess, by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko (Annick press, Kindle ed. 2012). Princess Addison gets angry, by Molly Martin; illustrated by Mélanie Florian (Picture window books, 2013)
I will not receive any monetary compensation from Netgalley or the books’ respective publishers. Any links to Amazon are affiliate links.
 

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