Not All Princesses Dress in Pink

by Jane Yolen, Heidi E.Y. Stemple, Anne-Sophie Lanquetin (Illustrator)

Not all princesses dress in pink. Some play in bright red socks that stink, blue team jerseys that don’t quite fit, accessorized with a baseball mitt, and a sparkly crown!

Princesses come in all kinds. Exuberant text from Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Yolen Stemple paired with charming illustrations prove that girls can jump in mud puddles and climb trees, play sports and make messes—all while wearing their tiaras! Not every girl has a passion for pink, but all young ladies will love this empowering affirmation of their importance and unlimited potential.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Princesses, Storytime, Feminism, Fiction, Gender Roles

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fine concept, but shaky execution. I really disliked the addition of "and a sparkly crown" after every rhyming stanza. That phrase makes it an awkward book for reading aloud, which is unfortunate, because it would otherwise be fun and memorable! I suppose I also don't really like that the girls have to be wearing a 'sparkly crown' while doing all the cool, non-princessy stuff (I mean, seriously--they don't all dress in pink, but they DO all wear a crown? WTF?). Overall, though, that bothers me less than the rhyme being broken up.

[Destiny Dawn Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately drawn to this book when I saw it on the shelf. Despite not really watching television in the home, keeping Disney pretty much out of the house, and not yet sending our toddler to childcare/pre-school... she still somehow has started getting interested in princesses. (Probably because of a girl at the library story time who always wears Disney princess stuff). So, I was excited to have a book with a more positive message about Princesses--that they can wear sparkly crowns, but still engage in all of the fun activities that my daughter already seems to like. That they don't all just sit around looking pretty waiting for some man to give meaning to their lives.

This book has fun rhyming text, playful illustrations, and a girl-positive message.

And my daughter loves it, too!

[Philitsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up for my wee gals at a local Hallmark store. As the title suggests, it shows various "princesses" doing non-princess stuff, like playing baseball, doing construction work, or even break dancing in overalls. It fits nicely with the parenting message I hope I'm sending my girls: you can do whatever you want on any end of the spectrum or somewhere in between as long as you're happy and safe and hug your mom. The last part is non-negotiable. I'd recommend it for either gender, since it shows girls doing fun stuff instead of just being a bossy know-it-all under the guise of precociousness. I'm tired of that character (I'm looking at you, Olivia and Eloise), and I don't want my gals to think of that as their ideal. There's only room for one bossy know-it-all in my house, and that spot belongs to me.

[Jessica]

Book Review of: Not all Princesses Dress in Pink

The book, Not all Princesses Dress in Pink, was about princesses and how they do not need to wear pink to be a princess. The book is aimed towards young girls.The authors wanted to let young girls know that they can do anything they want.

I thought this book was okay. It has a positive message towards young girls. I did not love this book because I felt that it was very repetitive. It said the phrase “sparkly crown” very often throughout the book. I would recommend this book to young girls.

[Annalise Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Not All Princesses Dress in Pink they tell about how girls think they half to like pink. It shows how you don’t half to be stereotypical towards girls and think they can’t like different colors or tough sports.
I liked this book because it showed that girls don’t half to like certain colors and things they like to do. I did think that the book’s pictures were good pictures that matched the text perfectly. But, I thought that it was kind of like they were saying girls should never wear pink and they should always wear a sparkly crown.

[Krissquared · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book (not to mention that I was anti-pink throughout my childhood) and my 4yr/o daughter couldn't wait to read it (although recently pink is a favorite of hers and that's fine). What's not to love about about a book that encourages girls to get their hands dirty and dress however they want? The girls in the story ride bikes, play soccer, drive pick up trucks, get messy at meal time, and wear overalls - even to a ball. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because I found the words a little clunky throughout.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I checked this book out from our local library, and we loved it! It describes different kinds of princesses - soccer players, dancers, bike riding girls - and they don't wear pink. It's wonderful to see this kind of attitude in a world that's full of pink, sassy attitudes, and "diva" in print across the butt of terry cloth pants. But, as the tag line in every princess description states, they all wear a sparkly crown. Too cute - perfect for any little girl.

[Asinate Haunga]

“Not All Princesses Dress In Pink”
This book was about encouraging little girls that they don't have to dress like a princess to be a princess. I personally think this book is a good book to read to little girls. I would also personally recommend this book to every little girl who thinks that you have to wear a pink dress to be a princess.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited about this book just from the cover--with its bright, throw-back vintage-y looking illustrations, but felt the text was really lacking. The words did not flow for me at all. Was disappointed in this one.

[Aryaan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book tells readers that not everyone has to dress the same and they can be different.this book could inspire little kids to dress freely.And it was very reppeditive about “sparkly crowns”I personally don't like this book but recommend it to kids like my last year kindergarten friend

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a girl that wants to be a badass and still wear pink or sparkles, this ensures her that she can. The only thing it could have had was a princess still in frilly pink and being a badass. Because not all princess wear pink...but some still do...cause why the hell not?

[Cheryl A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess it's probably ok for the girls who haven't gotten the message yet... but I'm not sure that they're part of a family that reads. The cover is the most appealing illustration by far, imo.

[Codi Rinehart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book Not All Princesses Dress in Pink by Jane Yolen is an incredible read for both girls and boys. In my opinion, this story falls into the Realistic Fiction category, as it relates to real life situations that take place in young childrens lives. This book shows how not all girls dress in pink, and how some wear bright red socks that stink, but they still wear their sparkly crown making them a princess indeed. I think that this book does a great job portraying that all girls can be different and that it is okay to be a princess and still like to do adventurous and messy things. I believe that this story would be a great read for 1st to 3rd grade children. It is a fairly easy read it is very engaging and the illustrations do an amazing job detailing exactly what the text is saying. This book has a great story line and I was able to relate to this book myself. When growing up I was the girly yet sporty girl. So I was able to picture myself directly in these illustrations and recall this time in my life where I was discovering that it was alright for me to do both. This story shows girls that they can be who they want to be and they are empowering.

This book could be used in the classroom if some students are struggling with how they believe they should act as a girl. It would display the idea that girls can still be girly and wear their crowns while they go out and get muddy and play sports. This book could also be used in the classroom to make a point to boys as well. Some young boys have been taught that boys will be boys and girls should do girl things. I think this story can also illustrate that while girls can do "boy things" and still be princesses, that boys can also partake in "girl things" and still be rugged tough boys. This story does such a great job showing equality and fairness through what could be potential gender misconceptions.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princesses can wear smelly socks, play sports, build things, use tools, wear armor, get dirty, get kissed by the dog, play in the rain...As long as you don't forget your crown!

Super Empowering Book for young girls who want to wear the dress and also do things that a 'princess' wouldn't do...there's definitely undertone references in the illustrations like a Rosie the Riveter pose or a Wonder Woman lunchbox snuck into the illustrations. Plus it also features a very diverse international cast of princesses. The illustrations are really really cute.
The other great part about this book is that emerging readers not only understand, they can fully speak the vocabulary of this book. For example, the Princess using hand tools are simple enough a beginning reader can sound out, as they are individually worded on that princess's page.

Good read aloud for storytime ideas or family time!

I loved this book! Jane Yolen does it again!

[Linnea Shockey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows the value in being yourself. It also shows that you shouldn’t use stereotypes like only girls wear pink and that girls can’t wear anything sporty, messy, etc.

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I feel the color pink was down-graded and that it’s not good to wear pick. On the other hand, I feel that this sent the wonderful message of being able to dress in what you want, and also act how you want. Overall, I enjoyed this book, including the amazing illustrations, and I would recommend it to friends of mine.

[Yoel Arias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is about girls that can do anything they want in there life and people judge them just because they're girls. It was showing people girls can do anything want to do.
I like this book because it has good art that kids would like. I also like the book because it shows that girls can do what boys can do. It also think that why can girls play with boys like in professional sports. This book also has a good message girls and boy and that's why I like it.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this once a long while ago when I bought it for my niece, but I'm revisiting it for a feminist princess storytime option. The rhyme structure, the diversity, and the big bold colorful illustrations make it feel pretty perfect for a read-aloud!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way this book portrays young women. You definitely don't have to be all dressed up to be a princess!

[Tallon Dorough]

Text to world
Not All Princesses Dress in Pink is a wonderful example of how everyone is different and there is nothing is wrong with that. Not everyone dresses the same or has the same likes and dislikes. The world is full of a variety of people with differences and that is what makes them special.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it was about how some princesses choose not to wear fancy shoes; some princesses wear red gowns; some princesses run laps; some princesses have ball and there's no piece of pink: no pink dabs anywhere!

[Chelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute children’s book with funny illustrations ❤️

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about how princesses can do lots of other things that might seem unfit for them while still wearing their crowns.

[Cassandra Gelvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some princesses dress in pink, though.

For a book that's clearly intended to show that not all princesses are the same, or girly, it sure seems obsessed with sparkly crowns. I wish there was at least one princess that didn't explicitly wear a sparkly crown in this book. The vast majority of them are highly athletic, which I guess is okay. Athleticism is not a very stereotypically female thing, but maybe some of them would be more interesting if they were shown as being useful to society instead of just acting in their own self-interest. Some explicit brains or intelligence would be awesome, too. Some of the rhymes seem forced, like "pink" rhymes with "stink."

The book is just a list of what princesses can do other than wearing pink. The first plays baseball. The second princess plays soccer. The third princess plays with dogs, I guess? She plays in the mud. The princess are in a wooden tree house, "Fixing things with power tools: saw, screwdriver, hammer, drill," which is funny because there actually aren't any power tools in the image, and hammers really don't make any sense as a "power tool" unless you count jackhammers. And that would be pretty awesome, if the artist had drawn a princess with a jackhammer. But she didn't. They're shown using a hand saw, pliers, and hammer, and there's no drill in sight. The tree house is pretty cool, though. Then five of the six multicultural princesses are shown eating (I'm not sure where the soccer player went). Three of them are shown gardening. One rides a bicycle. One of them pretends to fight some toys while wearing "chain mail". Then some unknown number of them play on a weird playground with an incredibly tall tower and a full-sized ladder going up it about halfway. There seem to be some princes in this scene (they have a different style of crown than the princesses) and then the final princess runs in some kind of race and the other five are waiting for her. There actually seem to be some additional princesses (the fighting princess either has different hair in the dark, or doesn't seem to be one of the main six). Then the princesses have a dance, and then one of them is shown going to bed at night. The last line of the book is, "and a very sparkly princess crown." "Very sparkly princess crown" is in the same swirly, cursive font as "sparkly princess crown" is throughout the book.

It seems like the only thing that makes these girls princesses is the sparkly crowns. Do they all live together in this house? It seems like it, because the first and third princesses are both attended by the same servant, who has a baseball glove in the first case, and an umbrella in the latter. He doesn't seem to work for the other princesses, though. It seems a little hung up on the princesses not wearing pink. Really, it's okay to dress in pink. If you like pink, go for it. Why is it important that they all be highly athletic and play outside and get dirty? Why isn't there at least one princess who does one stereotypically girly thing, and the others are okay with it? Because that's the problem with this extreme anti-princess attitude: some girls actually do like princesses. As long as it's in moderation, and tempered with understanding of what princesses are actually like, people should be okay with that. You don't have to be unfeminine to be a feminist. You can enjoy things that are traditionally associated with women or girls. That backlash makes it hard for people (of any gender) who are actually into those things to avoid rejection. And nobody's forcing children to like princesses. (And why is the bicycle-riding princess wearing metal body armor? That seems like a bad idea.)

But it's not a bad book; it's just incomplete. And I would think real princesses, like Princess Kate, don't wear sparkly crowns 24/7. Are these princesses supposed to be literal royalty, or is it metaphorical? I like the idea of this book, but I don't think it was that well executed. Which is disappointing, because I rather like Jane Yolen's writing, and this isn't a very good example of it. Maybe it's because she's not the only author.

Message: You don't have to wear pink to be a princess. Or, princesses can't wear pink.

For more children's book reviews, see my website at http://www.drttmk.com.

[Owesha Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all Princesses dress in Pink is a fictional book. I liked this book and the message it sends to young girls. Girls don't have to dress in a stereotypical "girly" way with pink fluffy dresses to be a girl. Dressing outside of the "norm" for girls does not take away from one's femininity and does not make a person less of a girl. Having said that there is absolutely nothing wrong with girls who feel comfortable being prissy and dressing "girly". This book is about a group of "princesses" wearing and doing whatever makes them comfortable and happy.They are seen rolling on the ground, playing sports, fixing things and planting flowers. I liked the way how they were all still wearing sparkly crowns. The crown speaks to their femininity and is a reminder that it comes in all forms and manifests itself in all different types of behaviors. They were all princesses in their own right and that was evident throughout the book. The story is interesting and is appealing to elementary school aged girls. I like the usage of rhyming because I think it adds a playfulness that is appropriate for the targeted age group. This book celebrates diversity and it is very evident in the illustrations. Its not just the characters in the background that represent multiple cultural groups but the main characters as well and I really liked that. Even though the book is about girls there are also boys seen in the illustrations. Over all I like the empowering message of this book.

[Amanda Blackwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is realistic fiction that describes that not all princesses wear pink. It then explains that some princesses like to ride their bikes, get their nails dirty, and use power tools but they can still do all of this while wearing a sparkly crown.

In this book the girls are breaking the typical stereotype of princesses that never lift a finger and do what society defines as “girly.” This book can raise questions for girls and boys in the classroom about the roles for girls. Since may books present girls as the stereotypical princess this book will allow them to think if princesses can use power tools and ride bikes. Each page illustrates a different girl of a different race doing what activity that is being described using words. It shows both boys in girls in the pictures. Both the author and illustrator are girls so they can have an insight on the stereotypes that society places on girls.

At first I was not sure if I agreed with saying “and a sparkly crown” after each activity that a princess could do but the more I read the story the more I saw its meaning. It is saying that a princess can be any girl, a girl who uses power tools, or who wears their grease spills with pride. The author did not label what a princess should and should not be she is getting the message across that anyone can be a princess.

[Danielle Rapoli]

Summary/Review: Princesses aren 19t as prim and proper as one might think. They like to do much of the same types of rolling around in the mud and getting down as they slide into first base. It reflects the idea that you should always be true to who you are, no matter what expectations people have for you. You should still have fun and enjoy yourself as much as possible. Uses in classroom: 1. Teaching positive self-esteem 2. Think for yourself and not what others think. Paired Books: Babymouse series, Do Princesses wear Hiking Boots? Quote: Some princesses roll around, wrestling on the muddy ground, then get right up to skip and dance in tattered, stained, and muddy pants, and a sparkly crown.

[Handan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this gets low stars from me because it is a book which frames all girls as princesses who can then be anything. Let me be clear: THIS IS NOT A 'BAD' BOOK. In fact, it is probably quite a brilliant option for those just learning to read (and read out loud to parents/siblings/whomever). It just sits a little young for me.

This is a poem broken down into a few lines per page to turn it into a book. The lines are modestly clever, but not witty. It does show girls displaying any number of talents, performing any number of everyday (and fairy tale) feats, and sometimes illustrates boys looking on timidly. Just realized one of the coauthors also wrote Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls, which I just reviewed. So it's no accident the book's poem's very pro-girl. Which is cool. I just feel like there's something we're still missing in having a book or a story not focus on gender but be so enjoyable/engaging/imaginative that both will want to read it.

[Rubama Neha · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first a person would think that all princesses wear are great, big ball gowns, sparkly jewelry, and a big, bejeweled crown. However, this book is different. This book shows that princesses that are breaking stereotypes of the ordinary princess. In my eyes, there are different reasons that this book earned four stars. First of all, this book was an engaging read for all age groups. Although, there was no plot in the story, the books show various princesses breaking the stereotype. For young readers, it is appropriate, and children will understand the book. The book has wonderful, colorful illustrations that go with the text, so young readers are able to follow the pictures and see what various princesses do. The one thing that this book is unique for is the variety of princesses that it talks about. In the illustrations of the book there are princesses from various races, and I think it is a great aspect for young girls reading the story. All in all, this story is an engaging and interesting twist to the ordinary princess.

[Annelisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again, another example of a book whose concept is sound but whose execution, and ending message, is on the shaky side. Overall, I like and agree with the concept that all princesses (real and aspiring,) do not have to dress in frilly rose tints in order to prove their status. And I appreciate the variety of activities that the princesses engage in, without compromising their femininity. Nonetheless, it would have been nice to see some girls that actually were dressed in pink outfits while doing said activities, including those that are not "traditionally" associated with the color, if that makes any sense. It is perfectly fine for a princess to enjoy somr pink once in a while. I don't want any little girls to think that they're less of a real or modern princess just because they still have a fondness for the color. All princesses may not dress in pink, but some of them do, and that's okay. This is a subtle quibble, and it's likely that it will not affect other readers the same way, but it did prevent me from fully enjoying the book.

[Alyssa Calhoun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book because it shows how girls can do a wide variety of things without being "too girly" by wearing pink. As a girl who loves pink, but despises most things girly (I'd take my mesh shorts and cut-off t-shirt over a dress any day), I enjoyed the concept of this book. The girls play sports, use power tools, ride bikes, plant gardens and more, all while wearing their shiny crowns.

This book was a nice break from all the princess tales that the girls love. However, it did lack a story, it just showed girls doing different activities. And, I don't know how I feel about PINK being the root of all girly things. Like I said, I love pink, but am not a girly-girl by any means. Hopefully some girls at school will read this, and realize that being a "princess" can mean they can still get dirty and do things they love!

(Note: I love punk rock pink, not pansy pink. And no, punk rock pink has nothing to do with liking punk rock music, because clearly, I don't. Confused yet?)