Princess Smartypants

Product Information

From the lowbrow names of "Prince Pelvis, Swimbladder, Boneshaker, Grovel etc. and the overall disrespectful, non-familial attitudes to the man-hating, lying, deal breaking princess this book was feminist rubbish from top to bottom." (From a 1-star review)

We've put together a list of lovely picture books about princes and princesses. But get ready for some twists on the classics - these might not be the royals that you're used to... I loved this book as it is about a princess that unlike many girls is not bothered about her title, fame or fortune. This princess doesn't want to be a queen: She likes her motorcycle, her dragon friends, and her independence! In this feminist reworking of a classic fairy-tale theme, Princess Smartypants defies her parents' wishes, outwits her suitors, and remains a content and single young lady. The text and illustrations are full of humour. I’m no huge fan of Brave. I do know a few little girls who love it to bits, mainly because of the archery. But there’s something not quite right about the story arc, and I feel it’s a bit cheap to play the princes for laughs. Choose one of the challenges that a prince was set. Write about it in more detail to explain what happened to the prince. The names of the male characters are derogatory, and when a prince does complete her list of complex tasks, instead of marrying him as promised, she turns him into a frog.This story is about an unconventional princess who doesn’t want to get married. She likes to spend time with her unusual pets and ride her motorbike. When suitors come to marry her she teaches all the princes a lesson by giving them horrible challenges to overcome so they run away. All except one prince who is very clever and passes all the challenges set by princess smartypants. She isn’t amused and teaches him an ultimate lesson. Princess Smartypants kisses the prince and he turns into a frog. This book seems to be telling girls that they would be better off without a husband and family. Definitely not the message I want to share with my little girls." (From a 1-star review). Gloria Steinem wrote in her 1994 book Moving Beyond Words that she has ‘gained a lot of faith in reversals’ as a way of highlighting structural inequalities and prejudices: This [narrative] isn’t just saying that women don’t have to marry, it’s saying that women can humiliate men, force them to work, then don’t marry them. In fact, Princess Smartypants can only live happily ever after when she has rid herself of essentially all men (who are, needless to say, intimidated by her transfiguring osculations). Just like all women! We females can only be free once men have become the toads they are at heart! Babette Cole subverts the reader’s expectation that the prince and princess will end up married. These days it doesn’t seem such a radical story at all, but that’s only because we’ve seen it before.

When we reach the part where the princess - who has some incredibly extreme hobbies - sets her potential husbands a series of tasks, we come up with ideas to help the poor princes who are keen to win Smartypants’ hand in marriage. We then compile these suggestions in a handbook called “How to Help a Prince”. This hilarious picture book with its wonderfully subversive protagonist sends a strong message to young readers about the importance being in control of one’s own destiny. Vibrant watercolour illustrations are full of energy and contain a wealth of witty detail which children will adore. A four lesson unit of work based around the book Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole. A read through of this book can be found on YouTube if you don’t have a physical copy. The outcome by the end of a unit is a character description. The unit can be used to introduce adjectives. Babette Cole has written many children’s books that seem to feature rebellious children. “Princess Smartypants” is certainly no exception. Babette Cole’s princess story has everything that both an adult and child would gladly appreciate: great sense of humor and a beautiful message about being yourself and standing up for what you believe is right.

What I liked about this story is that it was very unique and not conventional. It depicts a princess in a manner that is not common in pupils’ eyes. When children think of a princess they like to think about someone beautiful and graceful and kind, this princess is none of those things. Babette Cole has been very creative in using humour in this story, e.g. the names of the princes and the name of the princess.