The princess and dragon paradigm in literature is the old tired notion that a woman needs rescuing from a larger-than-life male character. Robert Munsch’s 1980 children’s book, The Paper Bag Princess, reverses this narrative, and has earned great acclaim from feminists. In Munsch’s story, the princess discovers her own agency and independence, defying traditional norms.

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When award-winning Canadian-Egyptian artist and producer Sarah Shafey began her fifth album (set to be released in 2025), Munsch’s book and its empowering message was at the forefront of her mind.