What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPenelope
Mark Palansky · Film · 2007
If you loved Penelope, start with The 10th Kingdom (2000) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Penelope across media.
If Penelope captured your heart, you will adore these stories about outsiders reclaiming their worth and rewriting their own destinies.
Books on the same thread
Mechanical Heart
Sarah Pennington · Book · 2019
Explores: Artificial Heart, Isolation, Forbidden Love.
Like Penelope, Breen navigates the isolation of being physically different from the world around her, finding that the path to self-acceptance begins with embracing her own unique, magical existence.
The Tale of Despereaux
Kate DiCamillo · Book · 2019
Explores: Courage, Love, Good vs Evil.
Despereaux Tilling shares the spirit of Penelope as he defies the rigid expectations of his society, proving that even those who do not fit in can define their own destiny.
The Princess Bride
William Goldman · Book · 1999
Shares a thread with Penelope: Fantasy Romance.
This classic tale mirrors the whimsical, romantic spirit of Penelope, offering a fairy tale world where true love and personal conviction triumph over the conventions imposed by others.
Pinocchio
Carlo Collodi · Book · 1996
Explores: Transformation, Redemption, Consequences.
The journey of the wooden puppet longing to be real echoes the central struggle in Penelope, focusing on the transformative power of self-love and the search for authentic identity.
Series on the same thread
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Park Shin-woo · Series · 2020
Explores: healing through love, emotional baggage, found family.
Much like Penelope, the characters here use the framework of fairy tales to navigate their emotional baggage, ultimately discovering that healing comes from accepting themselves and the people they love.
Goblin
Kim Eun-sook · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Penelope: Fantasy Romance.
The quest to break an immortal curse through a destined connection will feel familiar to fans of Penelope, blending magical stakes with a deep, character-driven search for human intimacy.
Yo soy Betty, la fea
Fernando Gaitán · Series · 1999
Shares 2 threads with Penelope: Self-Acceptance, Romantic Comedy.
Beatriz faces the same societal scrutiny as Penelope, providing a deeply resonant look at an intelligent woman overcoming appearance-based prejudices to find her place and her voice in society.
The 10th Kingdom
Series · 2000
Explores: Fish Out of Water, Portal Fantasy, Fairy Tale Adaptation.
This adventure mirrors the way Penelope subverts traditional fairy tale tropes, placing ordinary people into a magical landscape where they must discover their true selves to survive the journey.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These stories offer the same imaginative, experimental spirit found in Penelope, treating each new world as a space to explore the complexities of the human condition and moral growth.
Love University
Podcast · 2025
Explores: relationships, self-love, emotional healing.
If you appreciated the focus on self-acceptance and emotional healing in Penelope, this resource provides a practical guide to cultivating the same love and growth in your own life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Penelope a traditional fairy tale?
Penelope is an untraditional fairy tale. While it features a cursed heiress and a quest for a soulmate, the story focuses on Penelope Wilhern bucking convention to create her own happy ending rather than following the standard tropes of the genre.
Why is Penelope sequestered in her family's estate?
Penelope is sequestered inside her family's estate because she is suffering from a family curse. Her parents keep her company within the home to hide her condition from the outside world while she searches for someone of suitable stock to break the spell.
How can Penelope break the curse?
To break the curse, Penelope must fall in love with someone of suitable stock. The film centers on her struggle to find this soulmate while being isolated from society and restricted by the limitations placed upon her by her family.
What is the main theme of Penelope?
The central theme of Penelope is the importance of self-determination. The film portrays a young woman who refuses to be defined by her family's expectations or her curse, ultimately choosing to break away from tradition to forge her own path and happy ending.