The Paper Bag Princess is not exactly a new book (it has been around for almost 20 years), but it's one that we read a lot in our house. It's a fun story, so Maia likes it, and it portrays the princess as proactive and smart, so I like it.
The princess seeks out the dragon in his lair after he burns down the castle and carries away the prince. She outsmarts the dragon by playing to his big ego and having him show off how fast he can fly and how much fire he can breathe. In the end he's exhausted and she's able to rescue the prince (who turns out to be not such a great catch).
Here's another princess book we've been reading and enjoying -- Princess Hyacinth: the Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated. This one is pretty new. It's only been out for a few months now.
It's a fun story as well, although much more of a traditional princess story in that the princess plays a relatively passive role (she floats!) and in the end she's rescued by a boy.
As much as we like Princess Hyacinth, I'd love to find more books like The Paper Bag Princess that portray the female as strong and smart. Any recommendations?
