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Four years ago, when I found out I was having a baby girl, I vowed she would not be pigeon-holed into ‘girl stuff’. I wasn’t going to be the mom who bought her boy train tables and science kits and her girl baby dolls and toy kitchens. No gender stereotyping in my house – no way.

Mya has journeyed through her infant and toddler years surrounded by her older brother, his friends, a neighborhood full of boys, a mom who is fairly low-maintenance (I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl) and boundless opportunities to explore everything from planes to animals to gardening. And now, knocking on the door of four years of age, she askes daily to paint her toenails, wants her room decorated in pink and purple, loves anything shiny and her favorite book is the Encyclopedia of Disney Princesses she came across at the local library. I’m still not sure how it happened, but I’m a now the proud mom of a princess … sigh.

Of course, I adore her in all of her princessy sweetness. Her free spirit, happy songs and daily adornment in costume jewelry bring a much needed breath of sunshine and spontaneity to our otherwise predictable, pragmatic household. We love the radiant little princess God has given us, and I’m learning to embrace all things purple, pink and leopard print. I’m adding glitter to our craft boxes and finding new joy in playing dollhouse, beauty parlor and ballet class. Mya has somehow managed to secure a play castle and kitchen, dress-up clothes and dolls … and lots of books.

Oh yes, princesses read … not just Disney princess stories either (although we’ve done plenty of those). Princesses read all kinds of books, but mine loves any story that has … well, princesses. So I give you our favorite stories for the modern day princess.

Not All Princesses Dress in Pink by Jane Yolen – “Not all princesses dress in pink. Some play in bright red socks that stink, blue team jerseys that don’t quite fit, accessorized with a baseball mitt, … and a sparkly crown.“ The rhyming text continues with princesses who play soccer, stomp through mud puddles, use power tools, plant gardens, ride bikes and more all while wearing sparkly crowns. Mya would rank this book among her very favorites.

Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor – We’ve read all the Fancy Nancy books several times over. Thanks to Fancy Nancy, Mya knows how to make her own facial mask (Fancy Nancy Ooh La La! It’s Beauty Day) and thinks anything is better with a touch of sparkle. She also knows how to say several words in French, has learned about her ancestors (Fancy Nancy: My Family History), and can identify poison ivy (Fancy Nancy: Poison Ivy Expert).

The Storytelling Princess by Rafe Martin- Princesses these days don’t just wander through the forest singing to woodland creatures and waiting for their prince. This princess braves a shipwreck, disguises herself as a sailor and weaves her own tale on her way to winning the prince’s heart. It’s a charming, if a bit predictable, take on the modern fairytale. Both Jamin (age 6) and Mya (age 3) enjoyed it, although it is a bit longer than your average storybook.

Sleeping Bobby by Mary Pope Osborne and Will Osborne – Sleeping Beauty fans should enjoy this role-reversal retelling of the fable where the prince does the sleeping and the princess comes to the rescue.

The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch and Herm Auch – This tale, in which a quick thinking princess whips up an impressive meal to out shine other eager princesses all while poking fun at traditional princess tales, is sure to tickle the funny bone of kids and parents alike.

An African Princess by Lyra Edmonds and Anne Wilson – A young girl is told by her elders she is a African princess only to find her friends at school don’t believe her. It takes a visit to her relatives in the Caribbean to help young Lyra learn what it means to be a princess.

… and just for fun, here is a look at my little princess.

Here’s wishing a happily-ever-after to precious little princesses everywhere,

Misty