I’ve been watching highlights of the royal wedding all weekend and daydreaming about the gorgeous ceremony and fashion. My inner princess adores all of the pomp and splendor, not to mention the sweet glances Prince Harry gave to Meghan.
What I love even more, though, is the departure from tradition that this royal wedding encompassed. From the gospel choir to the cake flavor to the guest list, the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a point of appreciating people of diverse backgrounds. What would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago is welcomed today. How refreshing and hopeful!
While my daughter and I are definitely both girly girls and love a good princess story, I don’t want her to succumb to the “damsel in distress” mindset. She can love Disney movies, but I want her to be more like Rapunzel and less like Sleeping Beauty– use her brain to take matters into her own hands instead of lying passively by, waiting for a boy to save her.
With that in mind, here are 11 of our favorite plucky princess books! Each of these books features a strong, non-traditional princess, and almost all of these have earned a permanent spot on our shelves.
For Younger Readers:
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton
Princesses Wear Pants by Savannah Guthrie & Allison Oppenheim
Princesses Are Not Quitters! by Kate Lunn
Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Princesses on the Run by Smiljana Coh
The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas by Tony Wilson
Not All Princesses Dress in Pink by Jane Yolen & Heidi Stemple
The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke
For Slightly Older Readers:
The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier
The Princess in Black Series by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale (beginning chapter books)
Happy reading!
If you know of another plucky princess book, let us know in the comments and we’ll check it out!
This is a wonderful list of books. I’m sure I will find something here for my princess loving granddaughter.