Christmas is rapidly approaching, if you are like us and haven’t quite finished all the present buying you might be wondering what to top up your tween daughter’s gifts with! Here we have put together a list of some great book recommendations for you to inspire confidence, courage and resilience in your brave young girls. From novels, to comics, to facts and biographies, whatever your daughter’s preferences for reading, we have it covered!
The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd
The story of a girl who has to fight to fulfil her destiny against the odds, written in a beautiful prose that is funny and engaging, this is a great book for all girls out there who love a challenge and a mystery. The book acknowledges the sadness as well as the joys in life, and celebrates the power and importance of friendship. Morally sound, no dodgy language and great for tweens, this book is a celebration of life, friendship, love and connection.
Strong is the New Pretty by Kate Parker
This is not a story book so if you are looking for something a little different for your daughter, this could be it. A collection of photographs of girls age 4 to 19 that aims to get rid of the stereotype ‘pretty is perfect’ girl – this is a celebration of girls being wild, silly, powerful, messy, with a common theme of resilience and inner strength. The message is that being and owning your authenticity is what makes girls beautiful and that beauty comes from the strength within. The collection of photos covers girls doing their thing and being beautiful because of it, whether that is overcoming illness or disability or pushing through some personal challenge, being rebellious or challenging the norm, each photo is accompanied by a quote from the girl shown, regarding her challenge and her fortitude.
Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter by Astrid Lindgren
An oldie but a goodie, written by the author of Pippi Longstocking, this book features another of Lindgren’s fiercely independent heroines. Like Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending this story includes an enchanted forest, forbidden friendships, rebellious children, feuding clans and some danger, it might feel a little slow to some readers who are used to the more Walliams-esque stories, but this book brings up some great topics, the difference between brave and reckless, the question of if breaking rules is ever the right thing to do, how you can teach yourself to not be afraid and yet still be afraid sometimes and that that is what courage looks like. This manages to portray the unselfconscious wildness of the young girl through a fairytale lens. Lovely!
Wonder by RJ Palacio
Aimed at kids aged 8 -12 I think this book resonates with all ages. It’s focus is anti-bullying and covers social stigma around how we look, how we identify as ourselves and acceptance of self and other. The underlying theme of the book is that we can all choose kindness, that doing the right thing is often really hard but it's worth it, that everyone has something to be grateful for, that giving in to peer pressure is not cool, that everyone needs people who love them unconditionally and that it is never too late to change. Beautifully touching, funny and addictive this is a keeper. The book covers cruelty and bullying, and includes some comments around how girls look (flat chested/hot etc).
Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights
Malala Yousafzai became famous after standing up to the Taliban in Pakistan, refusing to be silenced because she wanted an education she was shot in the head at point blank range and survived to become the youngest ever nominee (aged 16) for the Nobel Peace Prize. This non-fiction book is a great short version of her story, serious and educational, the book covers the factual events of Malala’s story and brings hope and inspiration to the topic of the power of the individual when they follow their beliefs. It also includes maps, illustrations and notes to help understanding, along with explanations of Islamic cultural and religious matters, and is aimed at young teens. Empowering, inspiring and simultaneously heart-wrenching.
The Confidence Code for Girls by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Literally the girls’ guide to becoming bold, brave and fearless! Great for girls who are starting to doubt themselves, or wavering in self-esteem, this book focuses on being confident, having a go, taking risks and dealing with failing (it’s just no big deal!), touches on menstruation, covers inclusivity and gender stereotyping, whilst encouraging girls to be fully themselves. Full of quirky illustrations, insightful commentary and entertaining quizzes, this book is a great conversation starter for kids opening up dialogue between the kids themselves, (siblings especially) and with parents. The overall theme: you are not alone, be 100% yourself because you are amazing just the way you are.
Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss
Every list of books has to contain some Dr Seuss surely! This one is a timeless classic that takes you through the ups and downs of life in a colorful and easy-read ride. The more you read this book the more it offers, great for introducing the idea of ups and downs, successes and failures as part of the journey of life. Fun, gorgeous, always a winner!
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
A New York Times Bestseller, this graphic novel helps kids understand puberty, anxiety and how it can show up physically in your body. Raina is in 4th grade and suffers with anxiety and stomach pains, worries about bullying, changing friendships, food and school. A story about growing up, the challenges kids might face and how to overcome them. Compassionate, accessible, funny and touching, this is a great addition to your child’s library, especially for those who are not so keen on reading thick novels.
Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones
A collection of inventions that came about by accident, from foods and medicines, to city names and silly putty. How these things came to be, accompanied by fun cartoons, weird and wonderful facts and a light and easy tone, this one is good for the adults who might learn something too! A great one for celebrating the making of mistakes and the fact that often you can turn a mistake into something great!
Celebrate Your Body by Sonya Renee Taylor
Body positive guide to puberty for tweens. This book covers bodily changes, self-care, healthy eating, family, feelings and friendships in a tween appropriate manner. This book does not cover sexual topics, but focuses on body positivity, self-awareness and self-esteem The message is, all bodies are good bodies and there are many things you can do to care for your changing body. Topics are covered conversationally with diagrams to help explanations. The lack of sexual coverage may be disadvantageous for the older end of tweens (especially as the boys version of this book does seem to cover these topics) but the body positivity is a great starting place for girls who are just pre-pubescent. There are pictures of all body types so that all children should be able to relate to them. The format is accessible, very positive and is a great introduction to the topic, helping girls to feel comfortable in their bodies as they begin to change and grow.
Forgotten Fairy Tales of Brave And Brilliant Girls by Kate Pankhurst
A collection of 8 globally sourced fairy tales in which the heroines are not meek and mild but intelligent, adventurous and daring. Some are about love, but not all, they also cover friendship, sisterhood and parent-child relationships. These are not just role reversed fairytales but original stories in which girls were equally shown as powerful independent beings, unafraid to follow their own dreams and where each character uses their talents to help others. Easily readable and great for bedtime!
The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson
By the author of The House With Chicken Legs (also highly recommended!!), this is the story of Yanka who one day sets out on an adventure to find out who she is and where she belongs. Her sense of self feels apart from the rest and it is this that urges her through to her adventure. Themes of belonging, fitting in, finding yourself, forgiveness and being loved for who you are along with the values of friendship and family, yet nothing too heavy, make this a really great read.
Jemima Small vs the Universe by Tamsin Winter
A heartwarming book about body positivity, bullying and self-esteem. The basic story is of a girl who is smart, funny, bubbly and simultaneously self-conscious about being overweight. She is bullied from a young age for her size, has a hard time at school and often at home, and eventually learns to love herself for being herself. This book takes you through sadness, anger, happiness to empowerment and self-love, along with the strong message that body shaming is not ok. Great for showing the power of courage in facing your fears and the journey to self-love that starts on the inside not the outside or how you look.
We hope you and your daughters enjoy reading some of these. We are delighted to let you know that the last three books on this list are available from our favourite bookseller in Munich, Manon at Smart Cookies. Happy reading!