The Anti-Princess Club series by Samantha Turnbull

Ill. by Sarah Davis. Allen & Unwin, 2015
Book 1: Emily's Tiara Trouble. ISBN: 9781743319840
Book 2: Bella's Backyard Bullies. ISBN: 9781743319857
Book 3: Grace's Dance Disaster. ISBN: 9781743319864
Book 4: Chloe's River Rescue. ISBN: 9781743319871
(Age: 7-9) Highly recommended for Anti-Princesses from 7-9 years. Four feisty, self-assured best friends Emma, Bella, Chloe and Emily create the Anti-Princess Club and their motto is: We don't need rescuing! Their well-meaning parents encourage them into stereotypical events and activities for girls. Bella's mother reads them fairy tales, Emily's mother is a beautician keen for her daughter to learn ballet, Chloe's parents want her to help in their Greek restaurant and sports mad Grace's parents can't believe she prefers soccer to dance.
In Emily's Tiara Trouble, the girls create their club and begin their first of their missions, they want their individual talents and knowledge to be valued. Emily Martin is a maths and computer whiz, she hates ballet class as much as her friend Grace. When Grace decides to enter the upcoming Athletics Carnival, the girls work together to raise the $40 entrance fee. Chloe's scientific skills help develop a tastier baklava recipe and with her Yiayia's help, they make trays of the delicious Greek pastry to sell out at recess. Bella uses her skills to design their club tree house a two-storey meeting place. Meanwhile, Emily's mother has entered her in a beauty pageant much to her disgust, with the help of her friends she turns the tragedy into a triumph. No more princesses, every girl needs to be valued as an individual.
For book two of the Anti-Princess Club junior novel series - Bella's Backyard Bullies Samantha Turnbull writes about online harassment. Bella Singh's backyard treehouse is a fabulous meeting place for the four friends, she designed and helped build it. When they receive threatening emails telling them to act like girls and their place is sabotaged, they have a new mission. Each of their talents is needed once again to solve the situation and sort out the bullies.
Grace's Dance Disaster begins just before the new school year starts, Emily mathematician and science whiz has created the Anti-Princess website and moderates a chatroom for hundreds of members. She is a great help for young girls struggling with maths. At Grace's place Mum bursts into the bathroom to share some exciting news with her only daughter, Manchester United is playing a special match against the Newcastle Jets. Dad is a boy's soccer coach and her three brothers are mad fans. Grace will do anything even dancing to win see the match. All four friends creatively use their individual skills to make Grace's dreams come true.
Chloe Karalis has invited Emily, Grace and Bella to accompany her parents and seventy-eight year old Yiayia on a summer holiday. Grace encounters problems with the other surfers out in the water, Bella uses her creativity to design a billy cart from scrap material and Emily is in trouble with the sideshow owners when she works out their tricks. In Chloe's River Rescue the girls need to help find Yiayia who has wandered off from the holiday house early in the morning. Skill, ingenuity and teamwork are needed to rescue the old lady as the tide rises.
An exciting new series for girls with fun characters, real life dramas, school and family situations, showcasing the importance of valuing individual's skills and talents.
Rhyllis Bignell