At a certain age, boys seem to outgrow the fairy realm and girls still love them. Also these books have girl protagonists.
Published: 2010 Theme: Community, Honoring the Past Best for: 11 and older "Death is like an explosion," Miss Sadie said, her accent thick, like the humid air that hovered heavy around me. "It makes people take notice of things they might have overlooked." This is a serious historical fiction children's book, covering some pretty intense topics, all set in 1936 and earlier. From bootlegging to the Ku Klux clan, from immigrants to war casualties, this book is no light reading.
Published: 2013 Theme: Don't be Gullible Best for: Pre-teen girls "Either the witch would be reasonable, or she would not. Imogene had read enough fairy tales to worry that a royal decree on the matter was less likely to soften the witch's heart and more likely to make her stubborn." If you are looking for a fun, light-weight summer children's book, one to take on a trip, this new book is a good choice. It's a silly little take-off on the princess-kissed-frog story, with amusing and sometimes dangerous twists of the plot.
Published: 1908 Theme: Growing up Best for: Girls 9-12 "There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne, it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting." It is a cliche to say things are timeless, but books like this really are. There's nothing awkward reading it today. The emphasis on character development, and the growing pains of a young girl...
Published: 2002 Theme: Valuing the Past Best for: Girls up to 12 "We speak the same language, but sometimes it's hard to believe. Some things have changed so much that it's hard for us to understand each other at all." Finally -- a multicultural story to enrich my list of children's books. This book reminds me how much we deprive children of interesting experiences when we don't invite them into other worlds.
Published: 2003 Theme: Finding One's True self Best for: ages 12-14 "It's important to know stories. I felt the earth shift to make a place for you when you were born, and I came to tell you stories while you are young." Just as Ani's aunt knows the power of story, and passes it to her niece, so author Shannon Hale passes that same power to today's young readers...
Published 2005 Theme: Self-discovery Best for: Girls 11 and up "Miri woke to the sleepy bleating of a goat. The world was as dark as eyes closed, but perhaps the goats could smell dawn seeping through the cracks in the house’s stone walls. This beautifully written tale weaves fantasy, adventure and great lessons into a memorable read. Don't let the title put you off!
Published: 1983 Theme: Knights, Women's Equality Best for: girls age 12 and up "Maude said I should use my Gift of healing. She said I had the power to heal more than most people. She said if I didn't heal, I wouldn't make up for the killing I did as a knight." In this series of four books, Tamora Pierce weaves an odd world of knights, magic, and the feminine in a way I haven't encountered before...
Published: 1990 Theme: Survival, Resilience Best for: Classroom use, Home School, grade 5 and up "Everyone in our tribe had two names, the real one which was secret and seldom used, and one which was common, for if people use your secret name, it becomes worn out and loses it's magic." This work of historical fiction, about a young girl left alone on an island, chronicles the ways she managed to survive..
Published: 1990 Theme: Being Oneself Best for: ages 10 and up, especially girls "Being a dragon's princess is a perfectly respectable thing to do, so my parent's couldn't complain. And it would be much more interesting than embroidery and dancing lessons." An easy-to-read adventure with dragons, wizards, and a princess who breaks the mold...
Published: 1997 Theme: Thinking for Yourself Best for: Girls over 11 "Decisions were a delight after the curse. I loved having the power to say yes or no, and refusing anything was a special pleasure." This lightweight modern fairytale explores what happens when a young girl can no longer think or choose for herself. An apt pre-teen subject....
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