Educating young girls, and all children really, on female empowerment should begin as early as possible. One of the best and most effective ways to do so is through storybooks, both at home and in the classroom. It is important for both parents, caregivers, and educators to carefully select engaging texts that challenge the assumption that boys are smarter, more successful, privileged, powerful etc. than girls. Books can help parents and teachers discuss gender stereotypes with children and most importantly, can help make it the norm for girls to view themselves as equal to their male counterparts. Furthermore, choosing literature with strong female characters allows children, especially young females, to embrace their strength and gain an understanding of the challenges these characters tackled in order to be successful. These texts, in turn, provide girls with examples of how to confidently overcome the hardships and challenges they may face in their own lives - they can encourage young females to dream big and look toward their future with wide eyes. Below are a list of fantastic texts to help empower girls from a young age:
She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World, Chelsea Clinton
The Paper Bag Princess, Robert Munsch
Allie’s Basketball Dream, Barbara E. Barber
Think Big, Little One, Vashti Harrison
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli
Cinder Edna, Ellen Jackson
Rosie Revere, Engineer, Andrea Beaty
And So Can She, Lauren Bresner
About the Author
Personal Bio – My name is Lauren Bresner and I am a special educator and mother. My daughter, Lucy, is two-years-old and I am currently expecting boy/girl twins in June! I graduated from Boston University in 2013 with a degree in elementary and special education. After graduation, I worked as a teacher at a preschool in Brookline, MA and earned my certification in early childhood education. I enjoyed working with toddlers but soon realized I wanted to return to special education at the elementary level. My next job was in Lynn, MA at Hood Elementary School where I worked as an inclusion specialist for both first and third grade. After three years in the North Shore, I married my husband and moved to Western Massachusetts. I currently teach second grade special education at Meadow Brook School in East Longmeadow, MA. I love dogs, tennis, traveling, and occasionally play the ukulele.
Amazon Link to And So Can She: https://amzn.to/3q1hgrX
Social Media Links:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lauren.pleeter
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lpleetbrez/?hl=en
Twitter - https://twitter.com/LaurenBresner
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