Princess Readalikes: Sleeping Beauty’s Loyalty

Sleeping Beauty was one of the hardest princesses for me to figure out just one trait that defined her as a character, but in the end, I chose loyalty. Aurora is extremely loyal to her fairy aunts who raise her far away from her castle in order to keep her safe and the characters in these books are extremely loyal to their pets, best friends, and even their own ideals. And sometimes in the end, their experiences affect their loyalty (in only the best way). Check out these stories about loyalty in all shapes and forms.

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev

“When the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, he finds a solution—one that involves all kinds of unusual animals in this sweet and adorable picture book.

Today is Pet Club day. There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.
Imaginative and lyrical, this sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joy of having a pet.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

“Life outside the robot factory is confusing. Little Robot has a lot to learn… And that’s what friends are for. But with danger in the way, will friendship be enough to save them?” (Taken from Goodreads)

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

“It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.
From #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format—a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black-and-white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell. ” (Taken from Goodreads)

Ruby Lee and Me by Shannon Hitchcock

“When a segregated North Carolina town gets its first black teacher, two girls–one black, one white–come face-to-face with how prejudice affects their friendship.

Everything’s changing for Sarah Beth Willis. After Robin’s tragic accident, everyone seems different somehow. Days on the farm aren’t the same, and the simple fun of riding a bike or playing outside can be scary. And there’s talk in town about the new sixth-grade teacher at Shady Creek. Word is spreading quickly–Mrs. Smyre is like no other teacher anyone has ever seen around these parts. She’s the first African American teacher. It’s 1969, and while black folks and white folks are cordial, having a black teacher at an all-white school is a strange new happening. For Sarah Beth, there are so many unanswered questions. What is all this talk about Freedom Riders and school integration? Why can’t she and Ruby become best friends? And who says school isn’t for anybody who wants to learn–or teach? In a world filled with uncertainty, one very special teacher shows her young students and the adults in their lives that change invites unexpected possibilities. (Taken from Goodreads)

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

“Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan…
But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words… And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?” (Taken from Goodreads)

Disney Princesses are always a popular subject in our library! Kids are clamoring for more and new titles featuring the princesses that they know and love. I don’t think the Disney princesses themselves need any more promotion, but I do think there are some amazing titles available that feature characters with similar traits as the Disney princesses. So, over the course of the next 13 weeks, I’ll be highlighting a princess and a few titles from picture books to young adult titles that have a similar theme or characters that share the same traits as the feature princess.