The Paper Princess: A Beloved Classic, Now in a Beautiful Deluxe Edition

by Elisa Kleven

Overview

This deluxe reissue of a beloved classic follows a paper doll swept up by the wind who embarks on a vibrant, imaginative journey to find her way home in a timeless tale of creativity, courage, and self-discovery.

A gust of wind sends a handmade paper princess flying. “Wait! I didn’t finish you,” cries the little girl who made her. “I’ll finish myself,” calls the princess as the wind carries her away—over a meadow and river, to a carnival and a playground, and finally back home.

Told with lyrical simplicity and illustrated in Elisa Kleven’s signature mixed-media collage, The Paper Princess is a heartfelt celebration of imagination, resilience, and belonging. The princess, incomplete and unsure, gains character and courage through her journey. She is a princess in name only—no castles, gowns, or tiaras here. Instead, she’s creative, determined, and full of heart.

Back in print after years of reader demand, this enchanting picture book continues to inspire children to dream big, create freely, and embrace life’s colorful unpredictability.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781685557904
Publisher:	The Collective Book Studio
Publication date:	06/30/2026
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Elisa Kleven is the acclaimed author and/or illustrator of over thirty children’s books, including Sun Bread, a NY Times Best illustrated book, The Paper Princess, and Abuela, by Arthur Dorros. For as long as she can remember, Elisa has loved creating imaginary characters and miniature worlds in her stories and art. Elisa lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

Editorial Reviews

A little girl draws a brave and friendly looking princess on a piece of paper and then cuts her out. But before the child can decide what kind of hair to give her new friend, the wind sweeps down and carries the paper princess away. Flying over the city, searching for the perfect hair and her way back home, the princess learns a lot about life and the ways of the world. With her shoes like watermelons and her dress like a forest, the paper princess is both childlike and princesslike (indeed, she is friendly and brave). Kleven's collage artwork is as spectacular as it was in Abuela (1991): it celebrates family, diversity, and individuality. This magical world, in which blue jays have feathers of Florentine paper and princesses have sweaters to wear when they go flying, is full of the spirit of creativity and the importance of play in defining one's home.

Kathryn Broderick