The Paper Bag Princess

Ready to marry her prince Ronald and decked in her beautiful things, Princess Elizabeth's world is turned upside down when a dragon destroys everything, forcing her to go after him in just a paper bag dress. After exhausting the dragon, she frees her prince only to realize that he isn't such a great guy and maybe she wasn't meant to be a stereotypical princess. 

1. Visual Element
1. Line
1. The lines of the text both create movement and shape, but also reflect the empowerment of the princess as she progresses through the tale. The smoke always left by the dragon, as well as the lines of the paths, flows in the direction of his exit, creating a line for the princess to follow. Many of the shapes are straight edges and all of them are very clear, symbolizing the “straight-edged” princess and the clear path she thought she was taking. But the crooked dragon took all of these things away, revealing her true self. Elizabeth becomes a strong character with strong lines and leaves the prince down a straight path towards a setting sun.
2. Evaluative Criteria
1. Theme
1. As stating in the textbook, “kids are generally rather resistant to sermonizing…” when it comes to theme. This picture book doesn’t over-embellish the theme of individuality or not being suppressed by a man, but instead it allows children to see how a young girl can move from inside to outside of the box. Children will recognize the stereotypical princess-marrying-a-prince, but they will also recognize the dragon as a hero to Elizabeth by showing her what is really important in life and how to embrace herself.

Munsch, R. (2012). The paperbag princess. NY: Annick Press.

Comparison Text: Non-Traditional Princess Stories

Cole, Babette.
Princess Smartypants. 1987.Not wishing to marry any of her royal suitors, Princess Smartypants devises difficult tasks at which they all fail, until the multitalented Prince Swashbuckle appears.[Education Storage SE. C6742PS1987, Center for Children’s Books SE. C6742PS1987]