85. Princesses Wear Pants, by Savanna Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim

 85. Princesses Wear Pants, by Savanna Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim



Guthrie, S. and Oppenheim, A. (2017). Princesses wear pants. NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

The story follows Princess Penelope Pineapple, who knows how to get the job done while staying true to herself. Princess Penelope lives in a beautiful palace with a closet full of beautiful dresses, but she prefers to wear pants.  What she wears each day depends on which job she has to do.  If she is exercising, she wears her yoga pants.  If she is gardening, she wears her overalls. If she is commanding the royal air force, she is wearing her sequined flight suit.  If you find her at the Pineapple Science Fair, she is wearing pants with her lab coat. Not everyone in the Pineapple Kingdom thinks pants are always appropriate princess attire. When the grand Lady Busyboots demands that Princess Penelope must wear a gown to the annual Pineapple Ball, the young royal finds a clever way to express herself.  She secretly layered her swimming trunks underneath her dress.  When the castle cat plunges accidentally into the pool, Penelope's able to dive right in and save her.  The story challenges gender stereotypes in the name of individuality, showing girls it’s not how, they look, but what they do that matters. 

There are other Princess Penelope Pineapple books that show her individually.  Not All Princesses Dress in Pink and Princess in Black are other titles.  It also has a sequel: Princesses Save the World!  I don’t think I would use this book in a lesson because it is geared towards girls, but It is an excellent book to recommend to any young girl that loves fashion and princesses. I found an activity kit from the publisher to go along with the book. 

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