I could even extend this lesson over a few days, bringing in professionals of both sexes in a variety of fields, showing equal ability of both sexes.ĭomains of Social Justice: Although this book does not specifically refer to all five stages, one could easily use the book to encourage exploration of each stage.ġ) self-love and acceptance: The Princess Knight was proud of her fighting abilities, and passionate about continuing to improve them. Again, like with the other lesson, I would encourage a discussion comparing this story to real life.

I would ask students to role play as the opposite sex, and write a reflection from the point of view as that character. Sometimes teachers encountering gender divides in their classrooms- students will claim members of the other sex have 'cooties,' or 'aren't as strong.' If I found this was happening frequently in my classroom, I would share this story. We would also examine the relationships between these story types and real life- which story type do the students feel is more realistic? The second way I could share this story with students is situational. We would explore the gender stereotypes presented in the typical stories, and discuss how these stereotypes are countered in the atypical stories. I would share typical fairytales with them, then compare these to atypical fairytales (including The Princess Knight). I would most likely use the first way with younger grades.

How I would use this book in a classroom: I would like to share this story with a class in two ways: 1) as part of a unit on fairytales or 2) as an anti-bullying tool to promote respect between the sexes. And, not only that, but she does a better job! The moral of this story is that the princess, by showing her father how strong she is physically, also demonstrates her ability to make choices for herself. It provides an alternative viewpoint from other fairytales, placing the female in a position of strength, showing that she is quite capable of completing feats that men can complete. Reflection: By challenging the norm of many traditional fairytales, The Princess Knight serves as an empowering story for young girls. When the king offers the knight his daughter's hand in marriage, it is revealed that the knight is, in fact, The Princess Knight, and the daughter wins her own hand! A remarkably skilled knight swiftly wins the tournament. One day, her father tells her he is going to hold a tournament for her hand in marriage. Yet, she won't listen to them and she continues to practice fighting every night. Her brothers make fun of her and her nursemaid tries to persuade her to do more 'feminine' activities.

She is taught how to sword fight and ride horses. Her mother dies in childbirth, so her father raises her like he has raised his sons. Summary: The Princess Knight is a the story of a princess who is born into a family of boys.

The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke