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From the time my daughter was born, I thought about ways to foster her sense of self-worth. She loves reading, and was very into the princess stories, like most little girls. But I worried about the implicit messages of helplessness that many of these stories teach (Read my previous post about this topic). These stories are so much a part of our culture, I didn’t want her to miss out on them completely, Plus, truth be told, they’re not all bad. I hope she wants to get married someday, and I hope she finds a man who treats her, in some ways, like a cherished princess.
But I didn’t want that to be all we read, either. So I made it a point to also read her lots of books about strong girls – books that would boost her self-esteem and help her be more confident.
(By the way, these books aren’t just for girls. I’ll read many of these books to her younger brother, also. After all, I want him to know that girls are strong, smart, and capable too! He needs to respect women just as much as women need to respect themselves.)
Books for teens with strong female leads are pretty easy to find these days. But for the younger set, the options of a bit more limited. I listed a few of our favorite books below. I’m constantly looking for new books about strong girls, now that my daughter’s getting older and out of the princess phase.
Books about strong girls for younger kids (3-7 years):
The Paper Bag Princess – A delightful story about a princess who rescues a prince using cleverness to defeat the dragon. But when her ungrateful prince focuses on her tangled hair rather than the fact the she just saved his butt, this princess loves herself enough to send him and his crappy attitude packing.
Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots – This book expands the narrow definitions of a dress-donning, animal-communicating, always-smiling princess and assures girls that, yes, you can be a princess and climb trees.
The Princess in Black – I haven’t read this one myself, but my daughter has and she really liked it. Delicate Princess Magnolia has the perfect princess life. But when monsters threaten her kingdom, she transforms into her monster-fighting secret identity to save the day. Look for other books in this series, too.
Frozen Junior Novelization – OK, can I just say that I love, love love the fact that what saves Princess Anna is NOT a boy, but the power of a sister’s true love. It’s a nice alternative from traditional Disney faire that sets women against each other (And I, for one, have had enough of the evil step-mothers.)
Books about strong girls older kids (8-12 years):
A Wrinkle in Time– It’s rare for a science fiction/fantasy book to star a female hero, and this is the first in a series of five books to do so. Meg Murray embarks on a quest through space and time to rescue her father, a scientist who mysteriously disappeared. (By the way, her mom’s a scientist too, which I love.) Woven through the book are themes of good vs evil, mystery, and love.
Island of the Blue Dolphins – Karana has lived alone on the Island of Blue Dolphins since she was 12. She learns to make weapons to fight the wild dogs and hunt for food, build shelter, and clothes herself. More than a tale of survival, it’s a story about self-discovery and self-acceptance, as she makes peace with herself and her solitude.
Nonfiction books about strong girls:
I Am Malala: Young Reader’s Edition – The true story of a Pakistani girl who was shot in the face by the Taliban for promoting girls’ right to an education. Rather than be silenced by this near-death experience, she became an international speaker and champion of women’s rights. She won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. (The Young Readers’ Edition is geared toward grades 6 and up.)
Hidden Figures: Young Readers Edition – Now a major motion picture, Hidden Figures tells the story of four African-American mathmeticians working at NASA who changed the course of history and the course of space exploration as we know it. The Young Readers Edition is geared toward grade 3-7.
Women in Science: 50 Pioneers Who Changed the World – Delightfully illustrated biographies of women in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) from ancient to modern times. This book was voted one of Brainpickings’ Top Science Books of 2016.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women – Short, illustrated biographies of 100 women, past and present, who have changed the course of history in “every field imaginable.” It’s “The most funded book in Crowdfunding history,” according to the website. I can see this as a book that sparks interest for deeper study of these amazing women. This book is available on Amazon, but they offer free shipping on their website, and deals for multiple copies. (I ordered 3 – one for us and 2 for friends!)
What are your favorite books about strong girls? Leave a comment below!
