The Paper Bag Princess

Written by Robert Munsch · Illustrated by Michael Martchenko

Part of the Classic Munsch series

A princess rescues her prince from a dragon.

5.8/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 52,776 ratings

32 pages· 555 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud· AD550L

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Bookroo's summary

Princess Elizabeth's castle is destroyed, her clothes burned, and her fiancé, Prince Ronald, captured by a fearsome dragon. Armed only with her wits and a paper bag, Elizabeth confronts the beast in a daring rescue mission. But as she faces the dragon's might, she must decide if saving Ronald is truly worth the effort. This tale of courage and cleverness challenges traditional roles and celebrates girl power, inviting readers to question what truly matters in a hero's journey.

From the publisher

Over five million copies in print!

When the fiercest dragon in the whole world smashes Princess Elizabeth’s castle, burns all her clothes, and captures her fiancé, Prince Ronald, Elizabeth takes matters into her own hands. With her wits alone and nothing but a paper bag to wear, the princess challenges the dragon to show his strength in the hopes of saving the prince. But is it worth all that trouble?

Readers the world-over have fallen in love with this classic story of girl power. Now a newly designed Classic Munsch edition will introduce the tale to a new generation of young feminists.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 32
Words: 555
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD550L

Themes & topics

Books about princesses Books about self-reliant princesses Books about problem solving Books about female role models Books about bravery

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.8

out of 7

5.8

“This book hits all the right notes for me: it's silly, fun, and features a strong princess who doesn't sit around waiting to be rescued. This is exactly the kind of princess book I want to read with my three-year-old and 18-month-old daughters. I think it's hilarious, and so do they.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

6.0

“This one is a classic in my book, turning the tale of a damsel in distress (which, don't get me wrong, can still be excellent) right on its head. The illustrations are so expressive and I love that not only does Princess Elizabeth throw fashion to the wind and use her smarts to outwit the dragon (without violence!), but also takes her new-found confidence and realizes that her prince is actually not as great as she once thought he was.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

The author