Disney Princess Readalikes: Mulan’s Bravery
Today’s booklist is focused on Disney Princess Readalikes: Mulan’s Bravery. Mulan risks everything to protect her father and family from war. She does this by appearing at training camp dressed as a man. Mulan is one of my favorite Disney princess movies. I love the music, the dragon, cricket and the humor. But what I love most is how hard Mulan tries to live up to her mother, grandmother’s (and town’s) expectations. The characters in these titles are brave in their own right. They not only stand up for themselves but for what is right as well.
The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke
“Violetta is a princess. But she wants to be a knight. At night, she practices at becoming the best knight in the land. When her father, the king, stages a tournament for Violetta’s hand in marriage, she knows she must win the greatest battle yet, for the most important prize of all – herself.” (Taken from Goodreads)
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires
“Lou and her friends are BRAVE adventurers. They run FASTER than airplanes. They build MIGHTY fortresses. They rescue WILD animals. But one day, when they re looking for a ship to play pirates in, Lou s friend has an idea: Up there! The tree can be our ship! Ummm … says Lou. This is something new. Lou has never climbed a tree before, and she s sure she can t do it. So she tries to convince her friends to play a not-up-a-tree game. When that doesn’t work, she comes up with reasons for not joining them her arm is sore, her cat needs a walk, you shouldn’t climb so soon after eating. Finally, she tells herself she doesn’t want to climb the tree. But is that true, or is this brave adventurer just too afraid to try?
This delightful picture book from Ashley Spires, bestselling author of The Most Magnificent Thing, perfectly depicts what children go through when confronted with something difficult. With humor and endearing artwork, Spires sensitively portrays Lou procrastinating, making excuses, imagining alternatives and denying she cares. Ultimately, Lou faces her fear, and although she fails, the effort empowers her, encouraging a growth mindset. All the while, Lou’s friends model compassionate friendship by offering to teach her how to climb and then moving the game. This book makes a perfect choice for a character education discussion about courage or resilience, or a life-skills lesson on facing challenges. The story also promotes the joy of imaginative play in the outdoors.” (Taken from Goodreads)
Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
“Zita’s life took a cosmic left turn in the blink of an eye. When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero. Before long, aliens in all shapes and sizes don’t even phase her. Neither do ancient prophecies, doomed planets, or even a friendly con man who takes a mysterious interest in Zita’s quest.
Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at.” (Taken from Goodreads)
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
“Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives in a tight-knit community in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. She doesn’t have a fancy house like her uptown family or lots of friends like the other kids on her street. But what she does have is Mama Ya-Ya, her fiercely loving caretaker, wise in the ways of the world and able to predict the future. So when Mama Ya-Ya’s visions show a powerful hurricane–Katrina–fast approaching, it’s up to Lanesha to call upon the hope and strength Mama Ya-Ya has given her to help them both survive the storm.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Boys and Towers Falling, Ninth Ward is a deeply emotional story about transformation and a celebration of resilience, friendship, and family–as only love can define it. ” (Taken from Goodreads)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
“Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.” (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 featured princess.
