Girls Can Be Heroes Too!

I recently read the results of a gender study that looked at 6,000 children’s books published between 1900 and 2000. The study showed that children’s books are twice as likely to feature a male hero as a female heroine and could be reinforcing gender inequality. Personally, I don’t choose books on whether they have a female or male leading character, I enjoy books that have a strong leading characters regardless of gender. However, I do think society encourages young girls to be little princesses waiting to be rescued rather than encouraging them to be confident, resourceful, and rescue themselves. How can we help dispel this image? As librarians, we can help by setting up a book display showing that girls do not have to always be the damsel in distress, that they can be leaders and adventurers. That it is okay for girls to be smart and save the world if necessary.

What books would you put on display? I think a good representation of fun and action-packed stories set in times long past or in future worlds will spark the young adventurer to pick up a book and realize they too can be strong, confident, compassionate leaders. Here are a few to get you started.

1.      Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure by Robert D. San Souci

2.      The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

3.      Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

4.      Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell

5.      The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

6.      The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

7.      The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

8.      Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

9.      Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

10.  Anne of Green Gables (series) by l. M. Montgomery

11.  A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

12.  Huntress by Malinda Lo

13.  The Hunger Games (trilogy) by Suzanne Collins

14.  Young Wizard series by Diane Duane

15.  Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Reference

McCabe, Janice, Emily Fairchild, Liz Grauerholz, Bernice A. Pescosolido, and Daniel Tope. 2011. “Gender in Twentieth-Century Children’s Books: Patterns of Disparity in Titles and Central Characters”. Gender & Society, April 2011 25(2): 197-226.