Great Books for Strong Girls!

Posted by Jan 30, 2017 Book Lists, Books

No matter your political affiliation, this election was an important one. Girls growing up today will have a different perspective on what they are capable of. They may not understand the debates and the negativity from both candidates, but they can see that there was a woman who could have been the next president.

My parents raised my sister and I to understand that girls can do anything. It is so important to me that my daughter is raised believing that she can do anything that she sets her mind to. (Given the state of politics in this country, I’m not sure that I would like her in politics, but I want her to believe she can do it!) To help me teach her that girls can do anything, I want to surround her with books about strong female characters, both real and fiction. Here are some great books about strong girls to add to your library!

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post.

Strong Women Can Make a Difference

Molly, by Golly!: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by Diane Ochietree tells the story of Molly Williams, the woman who is believed to be the first female firefighter in United States history. In the winter of 1818, while a large amount of the volunteers were too sick to work, she helped put out a fire and earned her nickname of Volunteer Number 11. The beautiful and lively illustrations will keep kids interested in the story, while the narrative will inspire girls and teach them about this impressive woman. This is a great opportunity to show kids that women can also be quick thinkers and heroes!

The Story Of Ruby Bridges: Special Anniversary Edition by Robert Coles tells the brave and true story of Ruby Bridges, the six year old girl who was the first black child to attend an all white school in 1960. Despite angry mobs and an empty classroom, this courageous little girl continued to pursue her education with grace and dignity. This story introduces kids to the horrible injustices that Ruby and other children faced, and shows them how her strength and her faith helped to change the country. The detailed illustrations accurately portray the frightening situations Ruby faced, without being too scary for kids.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney tells the story of Alice Rumphius, the Lupine lady who decided to make the world a more beautiful place in her own way. The story introduces kids to the idea that you can make a big difference in the world in a small way. The beautiful illustrations show the colorful lupines she spread everywhere she went, inspiring kids to sprinkle beauty and goodness everywhere they go as well. Check out my previous post on this classic book here.

Strength and perseverance can help you reach your goals!

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen tells the story of Sassy, a tall and gangly young girl who dreams of being a ballerina. Despite her large feet and long legs, she is persistent in achieving her dreams. Debbie Allen, the actress and choreographer, wrote the story based loosely on her early life. This is an inspiring book for young girls who feel that they are different, and that their goals are out of reach because of their differences.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch follows Elizabeth, a beautiful princess whose life is upended when a dragon smashes into her castle, kidnaps her prince and burns up all of her clothes. Wearing a paper bag as a dress, she goes on a mission to find her prince, and tricks the dastardly dragon with her smarts. This twisted fairy tale doesn’t have the typical fairy tale ending, but the strong and intelligent princess certainly has a place in our library!

Girls can be whatever they want!

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty introduces readers to Rosie, the great-great niece of Rosie the Riveter. She is an inventor who dreams of becoming an engineer. When her aunt visits, Rosie decides to invent something to help her live a dream of hers. This book is a great way to remind girls that they can do anything and be anything. As we are encouraging girls to take part in STEM activities, this story provides them with a role model they can relate to. The illustrations make Rosie’s world look so interesting, and kids will love to watch her develop and build!

Grace for President by Kelly S. DiPucchio tells the story of a little girl named Grace. When her teacher shows photos of the United States presidents to the class, Grace is shocked to see that there aren’t any women. Upon learning that there hasn’t been a female president yet, she decides that she will be the first. This book takes a fun look at the election process with bright and colorful illustrations and a fun and strong female protagonist.

There are so many amazing books out there with strong female protagonists. Do you have any favorite books for strong girls? We would love to add to our collection! Share in the comments below!


 

 

 

100 comments on “Great Books for Strong Girls!”

  1. We read the Molly Williams book a few months ago! I just found Rosie Revere for a buck a few weeks ago, so we just finished that one. And we’ve had the Ruby Bridges one for a while… Even in my house full of boys, we believe it’s important to model what women are capable of.

    • That is awesome! I’m so jealous you found Rosie Revere for a buck. I’m a sucker for great deals on books!

  3. I love this list and am so happy to see the oldie but goodie, Miss Rumphius on the list. Making a statement and changing the world comes in all forms.

    I’m a travel blogger and I write about how to make travel educational for kids. We always get ready for an adventure by reading about our destination! Women’s rights are a great topic to include for discussion about a destination. Glad to have found this wonderful list!

    I’m making a list of kids books set in Greece right now before our visit this year. I’ve found TONS on Ancient Greece but nothing much current. Let me know if you have suggestions!

    • I agree Miss Rumphius is a classic!

      That’s a tough one! Even if there are some out there, they are pretty buried by the plethora of Ancient Greece books! Have you read the Carol P. Roman series “If You Were Me and Lived in…”? She has one on Greece meant to introduce kids to life in Greece. I haven’t read them myself yet, but I have heard they are great! (I believe there is also one on Ancient Greece, but there is definitely one more current too!) I will keep my eye out!

  7. These books seem wonderful! I especially love the ones that are historical! I always loved hearing historical accounts when I was young. I hope my kids do too! 🙂

  10. I love this post! I always recommended such books to girls when I was teaching. I also like to buy them for my God daughters. Thanks for spreading such a positive message.

  11. Love this post! When I was little, I was in a book club called bookworms where the parents prioritized books that encouraged women to follow their skills/interests…and now I’m an engineer 🙂 Love this list!

  12. Wow I actually loved this post!
    My little girl is almost three months old, and I have the same intentions of raising her to believe she can do anything she wants! I will defs be looking into seeing if book stores here in Australia have some of these books, especially the Ruby Bridges storybook! Thankyou for this post 🙂

  14. oh my goodness, I absolutely love this! I’m always trying to find books about strong girls and women to show my daughter and this is the perfect post! Thank you for sharing.

  16. These are great suggestions – I’m going to get a couple for my seven year old! With all that’s going on in the world, she needs all the reminders she can get that she can in fact do anything.

    • Thank you! I love strong women in books. You hear a lot of criticism that movies and TV don’t have as many strong female characters, but they are so easy to find in books!

    • I’m so glad! I remember reading about her too, and I still am in awe of the determination and courage she displayed.

  27. I love this post! I have read a couple of these books to my son. I think it’s important all children know that they can all be whatever they want to be, no matter their gender.

  28. There is a bookstore in a neighborhood close to us that has a section for growing strong young women and it has all of these books. I remember looking through that section wishing that I would have had these books growing up.

  30. I LOVE The Paper Bag Princess! I’ve never read Rosie Revere, but I loved Iggy Peck Architect, so I’ll have to try that one, too! Thanks for the list!

  33. I love these ideas! My daughter has a tendency to be a people-pleaser and I want to empower her to stand up for herself. These are great book suggestions!

    • Thank you! I hope she enjoys them and they help! I was the same way, and still am sometimes, but having strong role models (including my mom!) helps!

  37. These books are fantastic! My little girl is already strong willed but I love her for it and I don’t want her to change! I think it is important that we raise them to believe they can do anything! Thanks for these great recommendations
    (over from Hump Day Hype Link Up

    • Thank you! I agree. Having a strong willed daughter can be a challenge sometimes (sorry Mom and Dad!) but I wouldn’t change it for anything!

  40. My little girl is still a bit young for these books but I completely agree that we should teach our girls that they can be anything. Will definitely keep this list in mind in a few years time.

Comments are closed.