Today’s young girls need to be empowered more than ever. They need to know it’s good to be smart, strong, and a woman of faith. Classic literature has several strong female role models, but not every girl will cozy up to Anne of Green Gables or The Secret Garden. Here are some modern titles the girl in your life might like:
The American Girl Series (Various authors). American Girl has been a staple in young readers’ historical fiction since 1986. Girls can meet such characters as:
- Felicity, a colonial girl who rescues an abused horse
- Cecile, a freed slave of 1854 New Orleans who helps out during a fever epidemic
- Rebecca, a Jewish girl who stands up for labor rights in 1914
Homecoming (Cynthia Voigt). Although boys may be drawn to this book too, it features a strong female protagonist. Thirteen-year-old Dicey takes charge of her younger siblings when their mentally ill mother abandons them, trying to find them a home and keep them from splitting up.
Ella Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine). If your girl likes the Cinderella story, she’ll like this modern twist. Ella lives in a fantasy kingdom, but she doesn’t want to be submissive. She’s under a curse of obedience and must break it to find happiness—no fairy godmother required.
Out of My Mind (Sharon M. Draper). Melody Brooks is the smartest kid in school. The problem is, nobody knows it because she has cerebral palsy. When Melody gets an assistive speaking device, people become aware of her abilities and photographic memory.
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