The author explores her own conflicting feelings as a mother as she protects her offspring and probes the roots and tendrils of the girlie-girl movement and concludes that parents who think through their values early on and set reasonable limits, encourage dialogue and skepticism, and are canny about the consumer culture can combat the 24/7 "media machine" aimed at girls and hold off the focus on beauty, materialism, and the color pink somewhat.

Why I hoped for a boy -- What's wrong with Cinderella? -- Pinked! -- What makes girls girls? -- Sparkle, sweetie! -- Guns and (briar) roses -- Wholesome to whoresome: the other Disney princesses -- It's all about the cape -- Just between you, me, and my 622 BFFs -- Girl power-no, really.