‘Do Princesses?’ series by Carmela LaVigna Coyle, more girl power books
This is one of three new books focusing on girls who do interesting, active, messy stuff. Credit: Muddy Boots
These books encourage girls to embrace a different kind of princess — one who’s more than just a pretty face.
“Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails? A National Park Adventure” (Muddy Boots, $15.95) by Carmela LaVigna Coyle is a hardcover, illustrated children’s picture book, for ages 4 to 8, written in verse. The unconventional princess who is the subject of the story takes her superhero little brother to explore national parks, including Grand Canyon in Arizona, Glacier in Montana and Acadia in Maine.
Another recent book in Coyle’s “Do Princesses?” series is for younger kids. “Do Princesses Boogie? A Read and Dance Book” (Muddy Boots, $7.95) is a board book. It encourages kids to “hop-hop-hop” and “wiggle-wiggle-wiggle” as well as “take a hike” and “ride a bike.” Other books in the series include “Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?” and “Do Princesses Make Happy Campers?” and “Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees?”
“Ada Twist, Scientist” (Abrams, $17.95) by Andrea Beaty is about a girl on a mission to use science to understand her world. Ada, a character of color, asks questions such as “Why are there hairs up inside of your nose?” This book champions girl power and diversity, and it is geared to kids ages 5 to 7. It’s written in verse, with such lines as “A mystery! A riddle! A puzzle! A quest! This was the moment that Ada loved best.”
Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.
