Adventurous Princesses

Last updated: September 22, 2025

Think your princess-loving girl needs a more well-rounded role model in her reading? Fear not! Not all princesses laze around the castle in a tiara. The princesses in these books break the mold, seek adventure, take action, stand up for themselves, have fun, and don't need a prince to rescue them. To find more take-charge girls, check out our Books with Strong Female Characters and Stories of Extraordinary Women.

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Interstellar Cinderella Poster Image

BOOK

Interstellar Cinderella

age 3+

Cinderella is spunky, resourceful in fresh space tale.

Deborah Underwood Picture Book (2015)

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Olivia and the Fairy Princesses Poster Image

BOOK

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses

age 3+

A good-humored identity crisis makes this one a royal hoot.

Ian Falconer Picture Book (2012)

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Princesses Wear Pants Poster Image

BOOK

Princesses Wear Pants

age 3+

Spunky tale of active princess dressed to get the job done.

Savannah Guthrie , Allison Oppenheim Picture Book (2017)

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Part-time Princess Poster Image

BOOK

Part-time Princess

age 4+

Regular girl turns princess at night in delightful fantasy.

Deborah Underwood Picture Book (2013)

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Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu: Princess Cupcake Jones, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu: Princess Cupcake Jones, Book 1

age 4+

Delightful responsibility tale avoids princess stereotypes.

Ylleya Fields For Beginning Readers (2013)

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Princess Grace Poster Image

BOOK

Princess Grace

age 4+

Princesses shine more than their tiaras in refreshing tale.

Mary Hoffman Family Life (2008)

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Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated Poster Image

BOOK

Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated

age 4+

Warm-hearted, beautifully illustrated flight of fancy.

Florence Parry Heide , Lane Smith Fairy Tale (2009)

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Princess Smartypants Poster Image

BOOK

Princess Smartypants

age 4+

A high-spirited tale full of humor.

Babette Cole Fairy Tale (1986)

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The Paper Bag Princess Poster Image

BOOK

The Paper Bag Princess

age 4+

Spirited princess saves self in girl-power classic.

Robert Munsch Picture Book (1980)

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The Paper Princess Poster Image

BOOK

The Paper Princess

age 4+

Gorgeously illustrated adventure fosters imagination.

Elisa Kleven Picture Book (1998)

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The Princess and the Pony Poster Image

BOOK

The Princess and the Pony

age 4+

Silly, sweet princess tale is an offbeat delight.

Kate Beaton Picture Book (2015)

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Princess Hair Poster Image

BOOK

Princess Hair

age 5+

Jubilant celebration of girls' hairstyles, hair textures.

Sharee Miller Picture Book (2017)

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The Princess in Black Poster Image

BOOK

The Princess in Black

age 5+

Fun tale of monster-fighting princess who leads double life.

Shannon Hale , Dean Hale For Beginning Readers (2014)

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Princess Pulverizer Series Poster Image

BOOK

Princess Pulverizer Series

age 6+

Atypical princess story is spirited, funny, full of burps.

Nancy Krulik Adventure (2018)

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The Rescue Princesses Series Poster Image

BOOK

The Rescue Princesses Series

age 6+

Four princesses save animals using brains and bravery.

Paula Harrison For Beginning Readers (2012)

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Giants Beware! Poster Image

BOOK

Giants Beware!

age 7+

Fabulous medieval fairy tale with mighty girl heroine.

Jorge Aguirre Fairy Tale (2012)

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Buckle and Squash: The Perilous Princess Plot, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

Buckle and Squash: The Perilous Princess Plot, Book 1

age 8+

Uproarious princess adventure is clever, sarcastic, zany.

Sarah Courtauld Adventure (2015)

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Cinderella Liberator Poster Image

BOOK

Cinderella Liberator

age 8+

Fresh take on classic tale boosts being true, free self.

Rebecca Solnit Fairy Tale (2019)

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Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible Poster Image

BOOK

Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible

age 8+

Sassy, quippy graphic novel shreds princess conventions.

Ursula Vernon Fantasy (2015)

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Handbook for Dragon Slayers Poster Image

BOOK

Handbook for Dragon Slayers

age 8+

Exciting medieval adventure with brave teens and dragons.

Merrie Haskell Adventure (2013)

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