The Paper Bag Princess 25th Anniversary Edition

by Munsch, Robert; Martchenko, Michael

• ISBN13: 9781550379150
• ISBN10: 1550379151
• Edition: 25th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-09-01
• Publisher: Annick Press

Summary

Celebrate 25 years of The Paper Bag Princess with an exclusive look behind the scenes."Some of the best children's books ever written have been about girls -- like The Paper Bag Princess." - The New York TimesIn the fall of 1980, Annick Press first published Robert Munsch's tale of a dragon, a princess named Elizabeth, and the bum of a prince she rescues. Playfully illustrated by Michael Martchenko, and full of Munsch's now-famous wit, the book was an instant success and has since sold millions of copies in dozens of languages all over the world.To celebrate the 25th birthday of this modern classic, Annick presents the familiar story of The Paper Bag Princess in all its exuberance, along with more than 30 pages of never-before published behind-the-scenes features -- all in a new bigger format.The Paper Bag Princess 25th Anniversary Edition presents the story behind the story.Readers will discover how Munsch -- once on a path to becoming a priest -- became one of the most famous children's authors of all time. They'll learn how an extra space on a gallery wall landed Martchenko his first, and most legendary, children's book gig ever. And they'll meet the real Elizabeth and see what she's up to today.Also included are never-before published sketches and paintings that take readers through the process of the book's creation. Further sections explore the book's critical success, its international popularity, and responses from fans old and new, including some surprising ones.

Author Biography

Robert Munsch is an internationally renowned storyteller who has written many, many, many books. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he now lives in Guelph, Ontario.

Michael Martchenko is a widely celebrated illustrator who has created many, many, many pictures for books by Robert Munsch. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Happy Birthday, Paper Bag Princess Robert Munsch

The Story of a Storyteller Michael Martchenko

A Portrait of the Artist The Beginning of a Beautiful Partnership Would the Real Elizabeth Please Stand Up? From Paper Bag to Paperback

How Children's Books are Made She Ought to Be in Pictures

Illustrating The Paper Bag Princess The Paper Bag Princess

The Storybook And They Lived Happily Ever After

A Success Story Around the World in Just Ten Seconds

The Princess Goes Global From the Best-Selling Book

The Paper Bag Spinoffs Thinking Outside the Bag

Surprise Appearances

Kids Respond to The Paper Bag Princess The End?

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Happy Birthday, Paper Bag Princess Have you wondered how publishing companies decide which stories they are going to publish? At Annick Press we believe in books that make you think about things in new ways. And what can be more fun than a story that is so good you want to hear it again and again? These are the qualities we loved so much in The Paper Bag Princess. From the very first time we read it. We vividly remember the day the story arrived in the mail. We had read many princess stories, but never one that featured a spunky, quick-witted girl like Elizabeth. Following a short discussion, we had only one question: what was Robert Munsch's telephone number? We had to tell him that Annick would publish his manuscript right away! As much as we wished we could announce the publication of The Paper Bag Princess that very week, it doesn't work that way. In fact, it takes a year or so to create a book. There are all kinds of decisions and choices that have to be made, including polishing the story so that it reads as well as it possibly can and finding an illustrator to draw the pictures. Here's the story of how that manuscript received in the mail became a book, and how that book went on to become a beloved and treasured story for millions of people. Happy Birthday, Paper Bag Princess! Rick Wilks and Anne W. Millyard