The Paper Bag Princess

When Elizabeth's castle and all possessions, including her clothes, are destroyed by the mean dragon, it leaves her vulnerable and VERY mad. She was slated to marry prince Ronald, and now the dragon took him away. In her quest to find both of them, all she had to wear was a paper bag. She followed the trail and found the dragon. When she found him she goaded him into burning a large amount of forests.

Then, the spunky girl challenged to dragon to fly around the world in ten seconds, she then told him to do it again. When he returned he was too tired and all he could do is sleep. When she found Prince Ronald, he was not appreciative in the lest. He told her she was a mess in a paper dress and she stunk.

The highlight of Elizbeth's spunky show more personality occurred when she jumped in the air and told the nasty prince,, "Your clothe are really pretty and your hair is neat, BUT you are a bum."

This is a story produced in 1945, way ahead of the women's movement. The author purposely made a female character who could change the tables, have a ton of self confidence, and know how to put nasty men in their place.

The character of Elizabeth make the book special. She was portrayed as way ahead of her time, someone who can face the loss of all her possessions, and carry on wearing a paper bag. she knew the clothes do not make the female or the man! When she was treated badly by her groom to be, she didn't sniffle and cry, instead, she raised her head high and knew the Prince was a cad and had no manners or soul.

Marching away, head held high, marching into the sunset wearing her paper bag dress. Arms held high while performing a little jig, she was jumping in glory.

Five Stars! show less

When Princess Elizabeth's intended, Prince Ronald, is kidnapped by the marauding dragon who destroyed her castle and burnt all of her belongings to a crisp, the resourceful young royal dons a paper bag and sets out in hot pursuit. She cunningly tricks the dragon into exhausting himself, and then liberates Ronald, only to be told that she doesn't look like a proper princess. Fed up, Elizabeth tells him that although he may look like a prince, he's really a bum. In the end, the narrative concludes, "They didn't get married after all".

Originally published in 1980, and then reprinted this year (2018) in this new edition, The Paper Bag Princess is a classic of Canadian children's literature. An early feminist fairy-tale, it features a show more resourceful heroine who rescues the boy (rather than the other way around), and who rejects some of the traditional qualities (fashionable clothing, for instance) stereotypically associated with women. I first read this one years ago, and haven't revisited it until now. It definitely stands up to an adult reading, and is every bit as amusing as I recall - that final lines never fails to win a chuckle. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about strong, resourceful girls, or with a taste for fractured fairy-tales. show less

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko, is about a lavish princess, Elizabeth, who is set to marry a prince named Ronald. Unfortunately, a dragon burns down her castle, her clothes, and steals Ronald. After finding a paper bag to wear, she sets off to find him by following a trail of burnt forest and horse bones. Elizabeth finds the dragon’s cave, but he is uninterested in speaking with her because he has already eaten a castle and has no more room for any princesses. She has the idea to question the dragon about his magnificence, and in the midst of proving it to her, the dragon wears himself out. She finds Ronald, but is only greeted with, “Elizabeth, you are a mess! You smell like ashes, show more your hair is all tangled, and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed like a real princess.” In response, Elizabeth tells him, “Ronald, your clothes are really pretty and your hair is very neat. You look like a real prince, but you are a bum”, and they do not get married. This story has a great theme about empowering girls and breaking gender roles. It shows that girls can also be strong, smart, and independent while also valuing their self-worth. Elizabeth understands that even though Ronald looks like a prince, he does not act like a true one, and therefore is not worth her time. It shows that even though she put in all the effort to save him, some people only care about what’s on the outside rather than inside, which gives people the chance to recognize their self worth and surround themselves with people who really care about each other. This is a lesson that children should be taught because it can be a very relatable experience for them, especially when trying to make friends and fit in. show less

Recommended by Susan Dorson.

Loved this! Read it twice in a row. A dragon burns down Elizabeth's castle and all her clothes, and steals her prince, Ronald, so Elizabeth puts on the only thing she can find (a paper bag) and goes off to rescue him. She does this by cleverly complimenting the dragon into showing off his fire-breathing and flying, effectively tuckering him out. But when Ronald criticizes her appearance, she gives him what-for, and they don't get married after all. A kick-ass fairy tale that everyone should read!

The reason this book has been historically banned are atrocious. This is a classic story of a princess who saves not just herself, but the prince as well. The problem, for this reader, is that the prince is a narcissistic A55#013 who can not see beyond the vain. He tells the princess, who just saved him, that a paper bag is a horrible thing to wear and to come back when better dressed. As a woman, I stand behind this princess kicking that horrible prince to the curb. And that is why this book is banned. I thought it would be for the nearly naked illustration, but no, because it subverts gender norms. Because the princess is the savior, and wont kowtow to the prince. UGGGHHH. I love this book. This book should not be banned, it should be show more celebrated. It is a classic for a reason and will be loved by generations to come. show less

I like how this story flips the traditional fairytale of the boy saving the girl. I also liked how it broke the reality of you needing a man to be happy, because the truth is, you don't. The princess did everything on her own to save the prince, but in the end, the prince did not appreciate it. I felt bad for the prince for being trapped with the dragon, but now I don't. If I'm being honest, the prince was selfish for not appreciating the princess. I'm glad that the princess told him right off that he looks like a prince, but on the inside, he's not.

When I was growing up, The Paper Bag Princess was one of my go to books. I'm not kidding, I knew that story inside out and could recite it without the book. As I got older, I lost that ability to recite this book without hesitation, but the memories are still there. This book holds a special place in my heart! Robert Munsch is a genius!

So, as the story suggests there is a Princess. Her name is Elizabeth! She is beautiful, lives in a big fancy castle, is engaged to Ronald, and has everything her heart could desire. And then a dragon comes along and ruins everything (like most girl's everyday life - obviously). Prince Ronald has been carried away and all of her belongings are gone! So, like most girls these days, she put on her best paper show more bag and went off to save the Prince! And how will she battle this wretched dragon? With her smarts!

This story gave me Shrek vibes before I even watched Shrek. It's not your average fairy tale and it's quite amusing! Elizabeth is a sassy yet relatable girl with some interesting (yet amusing) problems. I love that the Princess is the hero (and this is 40 years old, so Princesses weren't always kicking butt and taking names like they do today) and that she's wicked smart. I also love that in the end she stands up for herself and doesn't do what's expected of her. This book definitely added in to my spunky behaviour as an adult.

The art work doesn't connect with me as much as it did when I was a kid. Of course, my style and preferences has changed but I still think the pictures work with the story. As always, the cover is what really stuck with me.

I did like the forewards in this book - Chelsea Clinton and Francesca Segal share some sweet stories that I connect with. This book is a special part of childhood history for many people, so it was nice to see it wasn't just me who was obsessed with this book!

Overall, this is still one of my must read books. I'm glad this book is still circulating around and I hope many more girls pick up this butt kicking book and share it with the world!

Five out of five stars. I'd give it more if possible!

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for letting me travel back to my youth with this arc review. Seriously, I can hear my reading buddies chanting "Hey Dragon, Hey Dragon." show less