Princess Books for Girls and Boys of all Ages
Recommended Book Gifts for Kids Who Like to Read About Princesses
Nov 22, 2008
For consumers who want to find princess books other than the proliferation of heavily marketed Disney Princess stories or books that hammer home the message that all princesses are pink, frilly, and marriage-obsessed, here are some recommendations for quality princess-themed books that meet the needs of a variety of children of different ages.
Age-Appropriate Princess Books for Babies and Toddlers
Soft Shapes: Little Princess by iKids and Lori Shields (Innovative Kids, 2006) Young kids can pop out and play with the brightly colored princess figures found on each page of this simple foam bath book and then practice visual perception and fine-motor skills fitting each princess back on the appropriate page.
That's Not My Princess by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells (Usborne Touchy Feely, Usborne Books, 2006) Each page of this sturdy board book shows a picture of a different princess with one item of clothing (fan, crown, dress, etc.) that is made with a touchable fabric with a distinct texture. Children can use this book to learn descriptive words and hone fine-motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and awareness of different kinds of surfaces.
Fun Princess Picture Books for Ages 4–8
The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke (Chicken House Ltd, 2004), The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch (Annick Press, 1992), and Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole (Putnam, 2005) all offer spins on the plot of a princess who uses her intelligence and other talents to escape an unwanted marriage and keep her independence.
The Practical Princess by Jay Williams (Scholastic Hippo, 1994), in turn, is a tale about a princess who uses her intelligence in an adventure through which she finds someone much more suited to marry than the vapid prince she rescues.
The Paper Princess by Elisa Kleven (Puffin, 1998) and its sequels tell the adventures of a paper doll princess making her way through the world and can inspire young children to create their own princess paper dolls and make up new adventures for their creations.
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye (Puffin, 2002) tells the story of a princess given the gift of being ordinary and can help young children appreciate the true worth and beauty of ordinary things. Its length and reading level make it young adult, but the content is appropriate for much younger audiences who will enjoy it (and its lovely illustrations) as a read-aloud.
Multicultural Princess Books
For children ages 4–8, Jump-at-the-Sun Fairytale Classics offers versions of Cinderella (2004) and Beauty and the Beast (2006) with African American heroines.
For children ages 9–12, Princess Grace by Mary Hoffman (Dial, 2008) tells the tale of how the African American lead character Grace and her classmates discover that there are princesses that came from many different cultures and did many amazing things beyond looking pink and pretty, such as working as warriors and spies.
Entertaining Nonfiction Princess Books
For children who would like to entertain like a princess, check out the Barbara Beery books The Pink Princess Cookbook (Gibbs Smith, 2006) and Pink Princess Tea Parties (Gibbs Smith, 2008) for simple recipes suitable for children ages 9–12 (and younger, with adult assistance) to make.
A Genuine and Moste Authentic Guide: Princess: A Glittering Guide for Young Ladies by Madame Sparklington (Candlewick, 2006) offers children ages 4 and up advice on royal subjects such as etiquette and manners, a proper princess wardrobe and accessories, maintaining good health and beauty, and so on. It's a charming book, but balance the emphasis it places on meeting Prince Charming by supplying aspiring young princesses with other books that stress the adventures princesses can have and talents they should develop beyond just trying to get married.
Days of Knights and Damsels: An Activity Guide by Laurie Carlson (A Kid's Guide series, Chicago Review Press, 1998) introduces children ages 9–12 to aspects of the real lives princesses led in Medieval times through fun craft activities like making curds and whey.
In addition to these books, children who love princesses may also enjoy traditional re-tellings of fairy tales.
For other princess-themed gifts, check out Great Princess Gift Ideas for Girls (suggestions for dress-up items, furniture and room decor, and play areas) and More Great Princess Gift Ideas for Girls (suggestions for toys, dolls, art and craft supplies, and board games).
