Families who loved The Princess and the Perfect Dish by Libby Gleeson often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is feeling frustrated by the pressure to be perfect, whether in art, school, or play. This story is for the child who is hesitant to try new things for fear of not being good at them right away. In this charmingly subversive fairy tale, a picky princess is bored with all the perfect, fancy food in the kingdom. When her father offers her hand in marriage to the chef who can create the perfect dish, a parade of elaborate but dull meals ensues. It's a humble kitchen boy, Pip, who wins her over not with perfection, but with a messy, creative, and joyful dish he invents himself. This book gently models that joy is often found in the process, not the flawless result, making it a wonderful tool for nurturing resilience and self-confidence in children ages 5 to 8.
