Mill Valley Teen Works To Dispel 'Princess' Mindset, Promote Diversity In Children's Books

As Northern California ambassadors of the effort, Céline, 16, who attends Marin Academy, and Gabby, 17, who will be a senior at Los Gato High School, are reaching out to schools, parent-teacher associations and bookstores  to spread the word about a new book series aiming to change children's perceptions of their role models.

The Guardian Princess Alliance launched a series of books with heroines who transform the "princess" stereotype into inspiring leaders who take action to protect the people and the planet.

"Because we grew up with princesses, who are considered 'damsels in distress,' we know what it feels like to grow up thinking that a 'prince' will rescue us in times of need," wrote the pair, who met at a school program in New York City.

"And we also know what it feels like to believe that there is such thing as a 'perfect appearance,'" they added.

The GPA wants to remake princesses into superheroines, agents of social justice, whose mission is to promote racial, cultural, and gender inclusivity.  

The book series features seven multiracial and multicultural princesses whose unifying slogan is “Protect the People, Protect the Planet.”

Their superpowers utilize elements of the earth, and they confront problems collectively, modeling cross-racial cooperation.

The founder of the GPA is Setsu Shigematsu, an Associate Professor in the Media and Cultural Studies Department at the University of California, Riverside and a mother of two.

Pediatricians, librarians, parents and children from across the United States are responding enthusiastically, including Dr. Steve Vilter of Los Angeles, who said: “I am a family physician who sees plenty of young girls caught in the Princess Culture and would like to offer them your alternative.”

In addition to providing a wealth of inspiring lessons and ethical models for children, the Guardian Princess books support the new Common Core State Standards for Language Arts.

Accordingly, each book includes discussion questions, a glossary, and an etymology chart. The Inaugural Trilogy includes Princess Terra, Princess Vinnea, and Princess Mariana.

To buy a copy and find out more information about the Guardian Princesses, visit www.guardianprincesses.com.