Welcome to Day 1 of my series on Girl Power Books! All throughout the week, I will be introducing you to exciting books about amazing women, both real and imagined. From awe inspiring women in history, STEM and the arts, to books about strong princesses and the joys of being a girl, there will be something for everyone! There will even be some giveaways along the way. So follow along this week as we dive into books about strong girls that everyone can enjoy!

I am so grateful that my parents raised me and my sister to understand that girls can do anything. As kids, we played with dresses as well as trucks. We painted our nails and also went fishing. I want to raise my daughter to have the same understanding, so I am always on the lookout for great books that celebrate how great it is to be a girl. These books about girl power are perfect for the strong girls in your life!

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received copies of some of the books on this list in exchange for my honest review. These are annotated by a *. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dress Like a Girl*

Written by Patricia Toht and illustrated by Lorian Tu-Dean

This adorable story takes the idea that girls should “dress like a girl” and shows that the right outfit is whatever suits you. The text uses a peppy rhyme scheme to take traditional fashion tips (white in summer, subtlety in patterns, etc) and use them to encourage girls to dress for their dreams. The illustrations show a diverse group of girls partaking in a variety of dramatic play scenarios and being whatever they want to be.

Stardust*

Written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Briony May Smith

This beautifully illustrated tale is a lovely reminder that we are all stars who shine in our own way. The young girl at the center of the story longs to be a star, but constantly feels outshined by her sister. Her grandfather explains to her that we are all made of stardust, but we each shine at different times. The story holds an important message that parents will appreciate, and includes situations that kids may find familiar. The gorgeous illustrations use dark colors and varied textures to draw the reader into the story and highlight the emotions of the characters.

Girls Can Do Anything

Written by Caryl Hart and illustrated by Ali Pye

This inspirational book explores all the many things that girls can be. The rhyming text explores different careers, hobbies, styles and even characteristics that girls can have. The illustrations are busy and full of vibrant colors, sure to engage even very young readers. The end of the book includes a message of love, encouraging the reader to dream up whatever they want to be as well.

Related Post: Books that Celebrate Being Yourself

Be A Star, Wonder Woman!

Written by Michael Dahl and illustrated by Omar Lozano

In this creative tale of bravery, a young girl goes to school dressed as Wonder Woman. Each two page layout includes illustrations of the young girl dealing with challenges at school, as well as images of Wonder Woman defeating bad guys and saving the day. The simple text examines the important qualities that Wonder Woman possesses, and shows the young girl utilizing these same qualities. The message of the story reminds readers that they can be superheros too.

Beautiful

Written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

This creative book explores what it means to be a “beautiful girl”. The text uses conventional definitions of beautiful, including having the perfect look and smart style. However, the creative illustrations give new meaning to the text, showing girls engaging in all kinds of messy, creative and imaginative activities. The girls in the illustrations have all different colors of skin and hair, and enjoy lots of different hobbies, allowing the reader to find herself somewhere in the story, and reminding her that she is beautiful too.

ABC What Can She Be?

Written by Sugar Snap Studio

This spin on the alphabet explores different career paths that girls can take. Each letter of the alphabet represents a different job and the simple text offers an explanation of what the person does. The corresponding illustrations show girls with different hair color and skin color doing all of the jobs. This is a great book for encouraging little ones to dream about the careers that they could have one day.

Related Post: Empowering Board Books for Girls & Feminists

Dear Girl,

Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal, and illustrated by Holly Hatam

This beautiful book reminds girls that they are beautiful and powerful all on their own. The text assures girls that it’s okay to be who they are and love what they love. Whether they enjoy being girly, or like getting muddy, they are perfect the way they are. The illustrations are beautiful and the message is something that all girls need to hear, whether they are young or old.

Tomorrow…

Come back tomorrow for Day 2 of my Girl Power Series, when I will be sharing books about inspirational women in the arts!

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