This post is for you gift giving parents, aunts, uncles, or grandparents out there.

Here are some of our favorite princess books, none of which include Disney. These are not pink books about simpering, empty-headed maidens, who are shallow and just care about their privilege and their pretty looks. These are stories of girls with either power or the potential of it, stories about character, ingenuity, and the formation of moral fiber. Since these are not recent titles, you may need to obtain some of them secondhand; I recommend doing that here.

Our oldest daughter packed these up from her childhood room this week to mail to herself. These were keepers to her because they led her to read of other women of power as she got older, especially the queens of Europe, the most interesting of which actually got to govern. She became a Queen Elizabeth fan, so much so we thought she’d become a history professor. However, that powerful role model led her directly to working in government herself, desiring to make a significant difference in her own world as well.  She now has a meaningful, important, and influential job managing policy for the California Department of Education.

All this is to say that what you feed young minds matters! Make sure it is both fun and exemplary, in worthwhile ways.

All of these books shown here would be great gifts for your future females of consequence.