ReadItDaddy's Book of the Week - Week Ending 7th March 2014 - "Princesses are not just Pretty" by Kate Lum and Sue Hellard (Bloomsbury Publishing)

It's not easy being a parent at times, particularly if your little girl is slightly obsessed with princesses. You have to try and balance that with ticking all the "right-on parent" boxes by encouraging your little girl to seek better role models than pink coiffured pretty princesses with perfect complexions and ridiculously unrealistic body shapes.

We don't really put as much effort into achieving this balance as others do, if we're brutally honest. Children are children for such a short time that we don't actually mind Charlotte buying into the onslaught of Disneyfication or pinkness, as long as she's enjoying herself, having fun - and of course being a kid.

So when we find books that help us out a little with this balancing act, we embrace them enthusiastically. Bloomsbury's range is always full of interesting and diverse books and none more so than a range of Princess books with a difference.

Kate Lum and Sue Hellard's "Princess are not just" range are fantastic for several reasons. They do actually feature pink-clad princesses with wonderful dresses, cool accessories and cute little pets that appeal to Charlotte's girly side - but they're also princesses with huge hearts as you'll see in this tale.

Princess Allie (my favourite, she's got red hair and freckles like Charlotte's mum, who is also called Ali!), Princess Libby and Princess Mellie live in harmony until one day Princess Mellie boldly announces that she is the prettiest princess of them all. Naturally Allie and Libby disagree, but there's really only one way to settle the argument - Hold a royal beauty contest!

Four judges are rounded up, and long-suffering housekeeper Mrs Blue is rushed off her feet preparing for the big day.

Allie, Libby and Mellie put a huge effort into their costumes, their makeup and their beauty routines (this is actually one of the funniest bits in the book - did you know royal princesses bathe in vast tubs of greeny-brown goo? You do now!)

As the three make their way to the contest, things go a little awry as the good townsfolk need help. Are the princesses too pretty and proud to pitch in?

We'll let you read the book and find out! Kate Lum and Sue Hellard's "Princess are not" range are absolutely fantastic (Check out Princesses are not Perfect and Princesses are not Quitters - We really want to read these too!)

"Princesses are not just Pretty" is out on March 27th 2014. Don't miss it!

Charlotte's best bit: Princess Libby the expert swimmer, saving a gorgeous kitten from drowning!

Daddy's Favourite bit: They're pink, they're beautiful, but they've got big brains and huge hearts! That's how we like our princesses!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Bloomsbury Publishing)