Who Wants To Be A Princess by Jesse Harwood

today’s children storybook summary is

Who Wants To Be A Princess?

By Jesse Harwood

Illustrated by Tim Patton

Theme: Being judgmental, making assumptions.

Plot: Father tries to convince daughter that a princess is just an ordinary person with privileges and duties as well.

Moral: There is more to a story than just your perspective.

Storyline

Libby is going to sleep, and her father is reading her a bedtime story about a princess. When he’s done reading, he tucks her in bed and calls her a “princess.” But Libby doesn’t like that. She’d rather be a simple girl, she says.

When her father asks why, Libby starts counting all the things a princess cannot do, all the play she’ll miss, all the funny activities she’d be forbidden to enjoy just because of her status.

A princess, Libby says, cannot jump in muddy puddles, she’s never allowed to climb a tree, she cannot make a castle out of mashed potatoes, and she definitely can’t do tight-rope walking.

A princess will never roll down the hill, swim in the middle of the ocean, or even do somersaults.

More, princesses must be good at all times, Libby says with anguish.

Her father doesn’t agree with Libby. After all, she is his little princess. Tomorrow, he promises her that they will build a castle, spy on the jungle animals, and protect the kingdom from lions and tigers, keeping it safe for everybody.

After seeing a new side of a princess’s life, Libby doesn’t argue anymore when her father tucks her in for the night, calling her “princess.” She even dreams she is a princess playing in a puddle.

At the end of the book, there are a few empty pages. No text, no pictures, just empty pages. Though one may see it as a place where the kids can draw their own version of the princess dream, this way, with the empty pages, the book just feels unfinished.

Characters: Libby, a girl about 5 years old with two braided ponytails; Libby’s father.

Illustration: Tim Patton is the illustrator of this book. His work is simple, employing just a few colors and nuances. Each page depicts just what the text says, and although you get a clear understanding of the drawings, there is a need for more details on the pages (details that are almost absent).

Recommended Age : 3 to 7 years old

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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