Not All Princesses Dress in Pink

This book is all about princesses and how not all of them dress in pink!! They can wear baseball jerseys, eat greasy foods, and play in the mud-all while sporting a sparkly crown!

I like the message this book sends because I think too often girls turn down playing sports or getting dirty because they are afraid of what people might say. But this book shows you that you can do all the things boys do and still be a princess! Super cute book, would be great for a younger audience!

In my opinion, this is a fantastic book. What I loved most about it, was it pushed readers to think outside the box when it comes to gender roles. This piece of literature talks about how girls can still be girly, but still enjoy activities that are traditionally associated with boys; such as, getting dirty, sports, and slaying dragons. For example, the book opens with “Not all princesses dress in pink. Some play in bright red socks that stink, blue team jerseys that don’t quite fit, accessorized with a baseball mitt, and a sparkly crown.” I also really enjoyed the writing of this text. Every time the author gave a new activity that some princesses enjoy, she ended it with “and a sparkly crown.” I thought that this was a very show more creative way to give little girls the affirmation that they can still be princesses, even if they enjoy things that are not generally associated with being a princess. Finally, I liked the characters in the book. Although there were no speaking characters, there were many depicted on the pages. The princesses in this book were all different ethnicities, had different hair colors and lengths, there was even some with glasses. Not only were there princesses, but there were also princes playing right along with the girls having just as good of a time. Overall the message of this book is to be yourself. show less

Once again, another example of a book whose concept is sound but whose execution, and ending message, is on the shaky side. Overall, I like and agree with the concept that all princesses (real and aspiring,) do not have to dress in frilly rose tints in order to prove their status. And I appreciate the variety of activities that the princesses engage in, without compromising their femininity. Nonetheless, it would have been nice to see some girls that actually were dressed in pink outfits while doing said activities, including those that are not "traditionally" associated with the color, if that makes any sense. It is perfectly fine for a princess to enjoy somr pink once in a while. I don't want any little girls to think that they're show more less of a real or modern princess just because they still have a fondness for the color. All princesses may not dress in pink, but some of them do, and that's okay. This is a subtle quibble, and it's likely that it will not affect other readers the same way, but it did prevent me from fully enjoying the book. show less

The big picture in Not All Princesses Dress In Pink is that to be a girl or a princess you don't have to wear pink or do girly things. I liked this book for a few reasons. One reason I liked this book is the writing and language are engaging. The book rhymes which keeps the reader engaged, and it makes it more fun to read. An example of this rhyming is "blue team jerseys that don't quite fit, accessorized with a baseball mitt..." The author also includes the phrase "and a sparkly crown" after each description of what the girls are wearing and doing. I like that the author adds this, because she describes the girls playing baseball, wrestling in mud, and eating greasy food, but still reinforces the idea they are still princesses wearing show more a sparkly crown. Another reason I liked the book is the plot is organized and engaging. The author takes the reader through a series of things that princesses do that are not stereotypical to the role of a princess, and in doing this she describes the activity they are doing along with how they are dressed. I just like that she shows a variety of things they are doing rather than just one or two. Finally, I think this book pushes readers to think about tough issues and broaden their perspective on girls and the roles they play in society. Even though the book is referring to princesses it shows normal girls doing carpentry, gardening, wrestling in mud, riding bikes, escaping a tower etc. It shows girls defying their stereotypes and showing they can do anything a boy could do. show less

This book is full of bright and vibrant colors. It's bold enough to catch the eye of even the littlest prince or princess. What I love most about this book is that it's basically saying you don't have to be the average princess. You can do whatever your mind can imagine you doing... from playing a sport, to building something with your own two hands. It even thows a little rhyming at you, which I love in a children's book. And of course the main catch... you don't have to do any of it in pink. You can wear any color, any pattern that your heart desires. But don't forget that sparkly crown (I love how sparkly crown is written to stand out).

This was one of my favorite books I have read thus far. I really enjoyed how it portrayed girls as strong, athletic, handy, and other characteristics that boys usually get assigned to. I liked the writing of the book a lot. One of my favorite rhymes from the book was, “some princesses wear their jewels, while fixing things with power tools.” I liked how this showed that girls can be just as handy as boys can. I also enjoyed how after describing each girl and their characteristic, it still stated that they can do these things while wearing their sparkly crown. Going along with this, I enjoyed the illustrations of the different girls. Each girl was doing something different whether it was playing soccer, driving a truck, or using show more tools, but they all still had on their shiny crowns. I like how this showed just because a girl is doing activities that typically boys do, does not mean they are a tomboy or not girly like. That is why I like the aspect of the crown, because it shows that girls can do masculine things but still are girls underneath it all. I think the overall message of this book is that you don’t always need to stick to the status quo. Sometimes girls will do masculine things, but it does nt mean they still aren’t a girl. It shows readers that girls can do anything that boys can do, and yet they can still be little girls at the same time. show less

Jane Yolen's latest picturebook, co-authored with Heidi Stemple, will be a welcome relief to parents suffering from the pink princess craze. A series of diverse girls indulge in decidedly un-princesslike behavior, from playing soccer to building treehouses, but prove they're still royalty by proudly wearing their crowns.

The rhymes are brisk and have a nice cadence for the most part, although the dancing scene is awkward "They waltz in red, fox-trot in blue/they reel in plaid and polka dots too./And in those grand and fancy halls,/one even hip-hops in her overalls. The activities portrayed are almost all active, including sports, construction, dancing, and various outside activities.

Anne-Sophie Lanquetin's illustrations are full of show more bright colors and her girls' wide eyes and swirling hair make an active accompaniment to the swinging rhymes. While most determined little pink princesses will cling firmly to their fancy dresses, the exuberant color and gigglicious activities should entice a sizable number into trying something a little different.

ISBN: 978-1416980186; Published June 2010 by Simon & Schuster; Review copy provided by the publisher through Raab Associates show less