A tea party for girls and boys

What we're learning about gender roles in class makes me think back to the time my friend Hannah :D and I were volunteering at the Winfield Public Library during the Fancy Nancy tea party held for children. The children had a chance to dress up, read Fancy Nancy and other story books, and make a crown to take home. I expected all girls to come for the tea party and was kind of surprised when three little boys walked in and the event turned into a tea party for both princesses and princes. The boys were dressed in their best just like the girls and were perfectly civilized. They sat still during the stories and displayed polished manners that rivaled those of the girls. However, I noticed all the books read to the children centered around girls and I realized I've never seen a children's book about a boy going to a tea party or dressing up and being "fancy." Something just doesn't seem right to me. Books are supposed to open children to different ideas, but a lot of them just enforce gender lines. Maybe books outline roles for each gender so children can learn slowly without being confused with "grey area" ideas, but maybe this idea of how to teach children should change. Boys can go to tea parties and girls can play football. Maybe we should spend less time teaching them gender roles and focus more on good character.