The Worst Princess by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie

Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN:9781847388759. Hardcover.
Highly recommended. Princess Sue is a feisty, Converse wearing, cluey princess. Sitting in her tower lamenting the slowness of her long awaited Prince, Sue is someone who knows the score. Once Prince Charming shows up, Sue is all set for her adventure to begin.
Riding off on the back of his horse, Sue is heard to cry 'Whoopee! At last I'm freed! Today I start my happy end'. You can imagine then, her disappointment when she finds out that her prince charming wants her to be little more than a decorative castle ornament, sitting up in a tall tower, wearing pretty dresses and leaving all the adventuring to the Prince.
As you can imagine, Sue is not satisfied with this turn of events, and she soon sets things right, achieving a non traditional happily ever after.
When I was a young girl, I was given a copy of The Paperbag Princess to review. This book is along a similar vein of wonderful and interesting 'self rescuing princesses', and it makes a refreshing change from the traditional variety of simpering and delicate waifs.
This is a great book for younger and older readers alike - in our house, it sparked off some fascinating discussions about gender stereotyping and the roles of male and female characters in traditional stories.
The illustrations are simply stunning, and they support the story so well. Vibrant and colourful, the pictures leap off the page and carry the reader beyond the story and into the world of Princess Sue.
A highly recommended addition to any school or personal library collection.
Freya Lucas