Kitty Princess and the Newspaper Dress

Summary

Kitty Princess needs a new dress for the royal ball. She rudely demands that Fairy Godmouse make her one, but when the Fairy refuses, Kitty tries to find help elsewhere. Along the way, she continues to be bossy and insulting toward shopkeepers, a newspaper man, and a waitress. The result is a silly, patched-together dress that embarrasses her at the ball. When Kitty finally apologizes, her problems are resolved—and when Prince Quince himself acts rudely, he is taught a lesson of his own. The story uses humor to highlight themes of politeness, respect, forgiveness, and the way power shapes how people treat one another.

Guidelines for Discussion

Kitty Princess and the Newspaper Dress invites children to think about how we treat others and what counts as politeness or rudeness. Kitty’s behavior offers a playful way to discuss social norms: what words and actions we see as rude, and who decides what counts as polite. Because children are already navigating manners and respect in their everyday lives, this book helps them explore why politeness matters and whether there are times when it might be acceptable to be impolite.

The story also encourages reflection on the role of apologies. Kitty only finds resolution once she apologizes to everyone she mistreated. This raises important questions: Why do we apologize? Is an apology valuable only if it is sincere, or is it helpful even if it’s motivated by self-interest? Children can test these ideas by considering whether Kitty would have apologized if she had still been admitted to the ball in her silly dress.

Another central theme is forgiveness. The Fairy Godmouse and others forgive Kitty once she changes her behavior. Facilitators can encourage students to explore whether forgiveness should always be given, or whether sometimes it is right to withhold it. This can connect to children’s real-life experiences of forgiving friends or being forgiven themselves.

Finally, the book opens questions about power and respect. Kitty is rude to people who work for her because she is a princess, but once she loses their cooperation, she discovers that her power has limits. Similarly, Prince Quince’s rude behavior at the end of the story suggests that rudeness is not tied to class or status but is a broader human problem. These moments can spark discussions about how power influences relationships and whether people in positions of authority should be held to higher standards of politeness.

Discussion Questions

Politeness and Rudeness

1. Was Kitty being rude when she spoke to Fairy Godmouse? How do you know?
2. Who decides what counts as rude or polite?
3. Is it ever okay to be rude?

Fairness and Consequences

1. Did Kitty deserve to end up with a silly dress? Why or why not?
2. Should Fairy Godmouse have helped Kitty even though she was rude?
3. How did Kitty’s treatment of others affect what happened to her?

Apologies and Forgiveness

1. Why do you think Kitty apologized?
2. Do you think her apology was sincere?
3. Should we forgive someone who apologizes, even if we think they didn’t really mean it?

Power and Respect

1. How did Kitty treat the people who worked for her?
2. Do you think they would have helped her if she weren’t a princess?
3. What does Prince Quince’s behavior at the end show us about power and rudeness?

Suggested Activity: Polite or Rude?

To help students reflect on the themes of politeness and rudeness in Kitty Princess and the Newspaper Dress, you can guide them through a discussion-based activity using simple scenarios. Begin by explaining to the class that people often disagree about what counts as polite or rude. Remind them that in the story, Kitty Princess thought she was just asking for things, but Fairy Godmouse and others saw her behavior as demanding and disrespectful. The goal of the activity is to see how students themselves think about these differences.

Prepare a few short scenarios in advance, each describing an everyday situation. Some should be clear examples of politeness, others clear examples of rudeness, and a few should fall in between:

1. A child says “please” when borrowing a toy.
2. Someone interrupts while another is speaking.
3. A person tells the truth in a blunt way that hurts someone’s feelings.
4. A student refuses to share because the toy belongs to them.
5. Someone says “thank you” but in a sarcastic voice.

Read one scenario aloud at a time and ask students to decide whether the action is polite, rude, or somewhere in the middle. Encourage them to raise their hands or move to different sides of the room to show their answer if you’d like to add a physical element. After each response, invite students to explain why they see it that way. This part of the activity is especially important—it helps children practice giving reasons for their ideas and listening to perspectives that differ from their own.

As the activity continues, highlight when students disagree. For example, some might think refusing to share is rude, while others might say it is fair if the toy belongs to them. Rather than resolving the disagreement, guide the class to notice what makes the difference: Is it about fairness, tone of voice, or expectations? This helps them see that social norms are not always clear and that different people may interpret the same action in different ways.

Finally, return to the book. Ask: Was Kitty always rude, or was she sometimes simply clueless about how her words sounded? Did Prince Quince’s rudeness look different because of who he was? Encourage students to connect the scenarios they discussed to the characters in the story. This reflection shows them how the playful examples from their own lives tie back to the themes of politeness, forgiveness, and power in the book.

This activity not only makes abstract ideas about manners concrete, but also gives children practice in analyzing behavior, comparing perspectives, and reasoning together about social norms.