Anchovy's sparky DD needs better role models than Disney sodding Princesses

[Anchovy]

DD is 3.5. She is opinionated, bright as a button and extremely feisty. She will doubtless grow up to be either a James Bond heroine or prime minister

She has a fairly wide range of reading materials - likes Hairy McLary, Richard Scarry, etc. But what she really loves are princess/fairy-related things generally. I am (borderline!) fine about this, but I am absolutely sick to the back teeth of the Disney Princess books and their ilk.

I categorically refuse to read her stories where the plot line revolves around - I kid you not - waiting for "love's true kiss". Without exception the heroines are passive, wimpy and blonde and the story involves marrying a handsome prince (except the Little Mermaid, where I think he marries someone else, so she dies). There is one particularly noxious one, involving, a handsome prince called, I think, Brian, who the princess decorates the castle for and he says "what wonderful taste you have". I refuse to read things to DD which relate to pleasing a man called Brian with your exquisite taste in interior decor.

So far I have dealt with this by reading the stories in a weedy voice and shouting "Well, thats PANTS!" every so often. But what I really need is some clever, funny fairy stories with clever, funny heroines. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Babette Cole's Princess Smartypants springs to mind.

"well. that's pants" rofl

sorry no advice

Oh here's a thought - how about Norman Hunter's Incrediblania books - Dustup at the Royal Disco and others whose title I can't recall.
They may be a bit old though.

As an immediate must, she needs The Paper Bag Princess - it's a delight.

amusing 6-second cross-post with Ruby there

MI was reminding me the other day about Joan Aiken's Arabel books - though your daughter may be too wee for those yet - not princessy but magic

and of course there is the canonical Clever Polly & the Stupid Wolf which does similar genre-busting fun

Thanks Bink

I'd completely forgotten about Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf. Really like the look of the Paper Bag Princess one as well.

Anyone else?

though no prince in the Polly book, I think, so I am straying from the brief

The Anholt fairytales-rejigged books are good too - Ten in a Bed is one, I think - there are lots, because I think a convenient market niche was spotted - justifiably, as they're always clever and funny.

Will now cede the thread to others.

She's probably a bit young yet, but in a year or 2 Pippi Longstocking's good. Also second the Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf and Arabel stories, but again, maybe for slightly older ones.

Ooh - and Pippi Longstocking gets to be a cannibal princess, but no fairies involved, sorry.

(and no actual cannibalism either, thank goodness)

Naughty Little Sister is good for now though not princessy. Maybe you can wean her off them.

The Little Book of Fairy Stories from Usborne. The fairies are cheeky and funny.

Returning in shame to say even if you thought I said "Anholt", of course I didn't (you must have misheard) I said "Ahlberg"

I am wading through Angelina Ballerina treacle at the moment [bleurgh] so I sympathise
Aren't there some fun stories about a little girl who lives in a hotel in New York?
Agree with bink that the Anholt fairy stories are suitably subversive - dd likes Goldishocks
Pippi Longstocking?

I nominate Lisa Simpson!

But I find the later books of Pippi Longstocking so racist. I've been reading the first book to my dd, but have been censoring it, and I try to avoid reading any of the later stories. It's such a shame though, because it is nice to have a book with a independent, strong and funny girl as the protagonist.

I do wonder about this princess obsession of little girls. Is this cultural? I grew up in continental Europe, and I never had any interest in having everything in pink, fairies, and princesses. Or is it a generational thing?

Ah, but Bink, Laurence Anholt has written a few norty versions of fairy tales too!

And there is a lovely subversion of Cinderella by Shirley Hughes, called Ella's Big Chance. Her enchanting illustrations and the perfect step-up from Alfie and Annie Rose

Marina, you're thinking of Eloise .
She's a bit of a little madam though - you may find her annoying, although very funny too!

Joppe, I think it's marketing-led. Things were nowhere this bad in the UK when I was small.

That's the one. Dd needs no madam-encouragement so I have to be honest and say we have not promoted them at home!
I cannot wait for dd to be old enough to be read chapter books at bedtime so we can make a start on the Laura Ingalls Wilder series...

Definitely marketing. I had no girly stuff at all, growing up in the sixties/seventies. I find it all a bit horrifying although Angelina Ballerina is not quite as yucky as I thought it was going to be...

another vote for princess smartypants and the sequel which i think is called princess smartypants' baby - absolutely hilarious, it does get better, my dd1 was so disney mad but now very into famous five and secret seven .

And not to forget - the wonderful Olivia

HOW I love her.