Books for Girls

So great! Also good for you. If you’re planning on nursing, you’re going to spend a great deal of time in a seated position. I filled the time with the Food Network, movies on my iPod (I bought DVDFab a few years ago and use it to convert Netflix movies to iPod format), and audiobooks, which are hands-free and nice for middle-of-the-night feedings because you don’t need light. I absolutely recommend the audiobook version of Bossypants (which Tina Fey reads herself). There’s also a children’s book called “I like myself!” by Karen Beaumont that I recommend.

I’m always baffled why people feel that “The Giving Tree” is such a great book – it pretty much describes as ideal an abusive relationship, in that it raises up the notion that giving to others even to the point of endangering yourself is something which should be seen as noble. A number of friends of mine once discussed how it seemed prevalent in our group of women who had been raised with Christian values to be socialized to be selfless martyrs, for better and worse, and it’s one of the reasons that I didn’t provide it in my own daughter’s library.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is one I highly recommend as well!

Some other wonderful additions are Betsy, Tacy and Tib (series), Sarah. Plain and Tall and Caddie Woodlawn. All of these books would be suitable for young readers. As a teacher I relish in the thought that you are already thinking of the amazing literature to expose to your children. As a mom, I am so grateful for the way that good literature helped shape their imaginations and allowed them to escape into the past, future, etc.

Seriously, “Stephanie’s Ponytail” and “The Paper Bag Princess” by Robert Munsch rank at the top of my list of non-princessy, girl-power type books. They are brilliant. Do yourself a favor and read them both if you haven’t already. I really can’t say enough about them.

I’m concerned with the inlusion of Wicked on your list. I read the book and it has very adult. I would not even have my high school students read this.

I would love to add two books to the list (and one of my favorite authors to boot). Roald Dahl’s Matilda and The BFG. Both books are about little girls who make big things happen. Matilda is smart, and kind and wonderful even though she’s from a family of dummies who care of nothing more than material objects, and is able to teach everyone a lesson using her brains and wit. Sophie in the BFG is an orphan who saves England (and the world) from people-eating giant with the help of the wonderful and kind Big Friendly Giant (who is a runt himself, compared to the other giants). Just a couple of my favorites!

I LOVE that the Songs of the Lioness Quartet was included on this list. Tamora Pierce’s other series’ also have strong female characters (The Immortals Quartet, The Protector of the Small series, the Daughter of the Lioness books and the Beka Cooper Trilogy).

Don’t forget the Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchet. It’s about a young girl who has to save her brother from the evil fairy queen. Tiffany is smart, resourceful, and brave. There’s so many good messages too! Hard work and smarts are better than wishing and waiting. Great power equals great responsibility. Bravery is being scared but doing the right thing anyway.

Plus her relationship with her grandmother had me in happy tears remembering how special my grandma was.

There are now four books about Tiffany and she’s all grown up now.
(Can you tell this is one of my favorite series?)

I remember loving Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell when I was a little girl!

I would also suggest the Trixie Belden series by Julie Campbell / Kathryn Kenney. You will probably have to search used book stores for them, but they are really terrific. I grew up reading them and still read them today – and I’m 40!

I think you should add The Paper Bag Princess. I love that book and very much about a strong girl

As a young girl I really identified with Meg in A Wrinkle in Time and read all of L’Engle’s books. I still go back and re-read them on occasion. I also enjoyed Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt when I was younger. Another one I enjoyed was Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones. I just love Sophie, but I must admit I didn’t read that as a kid though I know I would have loved it. I never read “girls books” exclusively and even had no idea everyone thought I was weird for liking Hardy Boys more than Nancy Drew, though I read both. My mom never said no when my brother or I asked for a book and never said “That’s too old for you” or “That’s a book for boys” and she took us to the library at least weekly. She definitely turned us into readers.