'Gutsy' princess stories?

[BarnacleNora]

DNiece is 3, almost 4. Books have been requested for Christmas. She is apparently getting on quite well with having Dick King Smith read to her to give an idea of level.

She's recently discovered princesses but her mum is battling to try and get across that princesses don't have to sit around waiting to be saved or mope around waiting for their prince to come. She's tasked me to try and find some princess stories that go against the grain somewhat, gutsy feminist princesses if you will!

I can think of a few picture book type stories but none that are slightly longer chapter book style. I have boys and whilst one LOVES dressing up as Elsa he's never been bothered about reading about her! The other one will only read Diary of a fecking wimpy kid. Over and over again.

So I'm coming to you wise MNers, any ideas?

Maybe you could read her some stories out of this book? Might be a little old for her but she can grown into them
www.waterstones.com/book/rejected-princesses/jason-porath//9780062405371?awaid=3787&utm_source=redbrain&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=css&gbraid=0AAAAADA7Q_K0hPU27ox6yKYlI9_wwGXdn&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8uCQm8up-wIVyJ7tCh35vQYyEAQYAyABEgLcofD_BwE

The Paper Bag Princess. Also Zog!

Oh sorry just read properly, they are probably too short.

A friend has this one but caveat i have only read a couple of them which were good but I can’t comment on all of them
usborne.com/gb/forgotten-fairy-tales-of-brave-and-brilliant-girls-9781474966429

They aren’t chapter style but a collection of several longer stories which a few pictures each

How about Disney's 'Tangled' ?

Princess Smartypants! She doesn't want to get married and out wits all the princes who try to woo her!

Have a look at amightygirl.com for ideas, they have a fb page too and post some fantastic things to inspire girls

I second the Mighty Girl website, but we like:
How The Library Saved Rapunzel
The Worst Princess

Upvote for Zog. Love a princess with medical qualifications.

The Princess in Black - longer stories with chapters (about 10 I think) but still quite simple to follow for younger ones

On chapters - JKR's The Ickabog was good. I can't remember if the characters were technically princesses, but definitely courtiers and guards and Princess adjacent with strong girl characters iyswim

Disney's Merida springs to mind.

Ladybird Tales of Adventurous Girls

Zog and the flying doctors
Not just a princess books.
Not every princess
The paper bag princess

Might be a little bit old for her, but I adored The Ordinary Princess when I was 6/7 & reading for myself. It's probably aged terribly, but it's about a princess whose fairy godmother gives her the gift of being ordinary. So she is. Not beautiful, not graceful, not simpering - but resourceful, clever, funny, and very, very ordinary. It's a happy ending story of course, but I was completely charmed by it.

Disney do novel versions of their stories as well as longer picture books. Frozen, Frozen 2, Tangled, Moana etc all feature gutsy princesses/chiefs daughters

PRINCESS SMARTYPANTS

This has actually always annoyed me about Zog. Princess Pearl never got any medical qualifications! She just read books in the castle, practised on a few dragons and then declared herself to be a doctor.

Although at least she put the time in which is better than Gadabout who became a doctor in about 30 seconds flat.

WONDERFUL suggestions thank you all! I did think of Zog but I think she's probably past that if she's having Dick King Smith read to her! I'm going to look at all of these (and definitely the mighty girl website, how have I missed this?!) and probably nick a few for my boys to sneak a feminism into them anyway I can

Thank you all!

I have to second The Ordinary Princess by MM Kaye, I think it would be absolutely fine read aloud to a 4 y/o - similar in level to Dick King-Smith. Such a lovely book, I didn't have it as a child but really enjoyed reading it to my dd.

Mine loved the Princess in Black books.