The Paper Bag Princess - Written by Robert Munsch & Illustrated by Michael Martchenko

Source: http://childrensbooksguide.com/classics/the-paper-bag-princess

The Paper Bag Princess introduces readers to a delightful twist to the classic princess fairy tale. The story starts off like many other fairy tales - the beautiful Princess Elizabeth is going to marry a prince whom she loves very much. However, this is where the similarities stop. Elizabeth's castle is attacked by a dragon and this time it is Prince Roland who gets kidnapped. As all her clothes have been destroyed, Elizabeth puts on paper bag and bravely goes off to save her prince. She hunts the dragon down and outsmarts him into exhaustion. When Prince Roland sees her, however, he tells her that she does not look like a princess and asks her to come back when she is dressed like one. In response, Elizabeth calls him a bum and decides not to marry him after all.

What makes this book special is the way it challenges social norms and gender stereotypes. Instead of the princess being the damsel in distress being rescued by her knight in shining armour, this story shows that the princess can be the one saving her prince too. By following the adventures of a heroine wearing just a paper bag, little girls will also see that they do not have to look pretty all the time.

Another interesting point in this story is how Princess Elizabeth defeats the dragon. Without physically harming the dragon in any way, Princess Elizabeth cleverly tricks the dragon into tiring itself out. This exposes young children to the idea that wit is stronger than brute force and that violence is not necessary to save the day.

The illustrations help to bring out the narration of the story. Each page is accompanied by an illustration portraying the emotions and actions of the character at each point in the story. Princess Elizabeth is illustrated with singed hair and a charred and dented crown. This further enhances the idea that she is a brave and intelligent heroine regardless of how she looks.

This book is an enjoyable read despite not being written in a rhythmic way. It also provides a fun and easy way to start children thinking and discussing about gender roles and the perception of beauty. Many children will also love the humourous way the story is told which will make for an engaging read.