Tag: feminism

The Princess Knight (Cornelia Funke)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is The Princess Knight, written by Cornelia Funke and illustrated by Kerstin Meyer, a classic tale of girl-power.

When Princess Violetta’s mother dies in childbirth, her father knows no other way to raise his daughter than just the same as her three older brothers; the princess is trained to fight, joust, and ride a horse. Vi is smaller than her brothers and struggles with the physical demands, much to her macho brothers’ amusement (and teasing). So the determined princess sneaks out at knight, practicing endlessly and learning how to adapt the skills to her own strengths, speed and agility. Her fierceness and capability earns her the admiration of her brothers, until her father declares that a jousting tournament will be held on her 16th birthday… with her hand in marriage as prize! Vi is furious, and concocts a plan to ensure that if anyone is going to win her hand, it’s HER.

Awesome. A perfect twist on the classic fairytale storyline that gives the beautiful princess agency over her own happily-ever-after. In particular, I like that none of the characters in the story are truly villains, only uninformed – until Vi proves them wrong, at which point they realize their mistakes and become allies. It also encourages princesses to find their own strengths and lean into them; they may not always be the biggest, but they CAN be the fastest or cleverest. The dainty illustrations fit the storybook setting perfectly, while still allowing for personalities to shine. One note: Vi’s mother’s death in childbirth is depicted, with the infant Vi being held next to her late mother; it’s not scary or gruesome, but may be tough to explain to younger readers. Otherwise, the length was great, and JJ loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

We Toot! (Ashley Wheelock & Arwen Evans)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is We Toot!, written by Ashley Wheelock and Arwen Evans, and illustrated by Sandie Sonke, a wonderfully empowering tale… about farting.

The sleepover has been a major hit: after playing games, singing songs, eating treats, and a good night’s sleep, the girls all wake up smiling – that is, until a loud sound cuts through the group, and a certain… pungent odor is smelled. The girls guess at what the sound and smell might be (an elephant? broccoli? a skunk?) until one girl exclaims the obvious: it was a fart. Another girl is scandalized – girls shouldn’t fart! It’s not ladylike or proper! But a third, redheaded girl laughs at this, claiming the gas as her own, and sets her friends straight: farting is completely natural, and nothing to be ashamed of. The girl points out that our bodies make lots of different sounds and smells, just like everyone else’s. In solidarity, the other girls admit that they all fart, burp, and have tummy rumbles as well! The redhead encourages her friends (and the reader) to love the body they have “just because”.

Silly and marvelous. Underneath a delightfully whimsical story that pokes fun at the stinky smells and funny sounds of passing gas lies an important message about the ridiculous standards girls and women are held to, down to their unavoidable natural functions. The message joyfully dispels the myth that there’s something wrong about girls’ bodies behaving like anyone else’s, and gives little readers permission to own their bodies (and bodily functions) with pride and a healthy sense of humor. It elevates a simple book about farting – a timeless element of kid humor – into an empowering feminist parable, and was a blast (har-har) to read. JJ loved the repeated catchphrase of “We/I Toot!” And the bright, carefree illustrations. The length is perfect, and we definitely recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the authors in exchange for an honest review.)

Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around The World (Vashti Harrison)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around The World by Vashti Harrison, the dynamite sequel to Little Leaders.

Taking the same format as Leaders, Harrison introduces us to 35 more incredible women from history, this time broadening the focus to subjects from countries around the world, and from a myriad of ethnic backgrounds. Familiar feminist icons like Ada Lovelace, Hedy Lamarr, and Marie Curie join lesser known – yet no less impressive – trailblazers like Fatima Al-Firhi, founder of the oldest active university, and Esther Afua Ocloo, pioneer of the microlending movement to empower female entrepreneurs. Each woman was ahead of her time, courageous in her pursuits, and changed the world for the better, simply by being themselves and refusing to give up on their dreams.

Simply wonderful. Harrison has returned with a new crop of heroes for young girls (and boys), and we are glad for it. Where many of these anthologies can stumble with diversity, Dreamers has no such problem: the women presented are of a dizzying array of backgrounds, skintones, cultures, religions, and pursuits. Women of art, science, economics, politics, activism, philanthropy, and humanitarianism are each given brief yet thorough bios that do a great job of detailing their achievements while still giving a sense of their motivations and who they were/are as people. Harrison’s adorable figures, featuring open, serene faces and enigmatic smiles, are the perfect cherry on top. This is not a book for a single sitting, but can be broken into whatever-sized bites are right for your little bookworm. A wealth of mini-bios, glossary, and resource list complete the backmatter. JJ and I both learned from it, and loved it. An essential volume for every bookshelf, and Baby Bookworm approved!

Dress Like A Girl (Patricia Toht)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Dress Like A Girl, written by Patricia Toht and illustrated by Lorian Tu-Dean, a lovely lesson in self-expression and possibility.

As a group of friends gather for a sleepover, the text notes that when it comes to dressing like a girl, there are lots of rules: wearing white in the summer, keeping patterns subtle, and how to wear elegant black gowns. However, as the girls begin to pull out their costumes and play, the narrator encourages us to interpret these rules in new ways. After all, astronauts look great in white; jungle explorers can camouflage themselves with their subtle patterns, and you know who loves a flowing black robe? Orchestra conductors and judges, of course! And when it comes down to it, if the rules aren’t for you, well, sometimes rules are made to be broken. After all, there are plenty of ways to dress like a girl.

Marvelous. Any girl will tell you that when it comes to women’s fashion, the “rules” can be tough to navigate, so it’s nice that the ultimate message of the book it that girls should wear whatever makes them feel comfortable, creative, and like themselves. What makes this so special is the lead-up, and the clever juxtaposition between standard fashion rules and the limitless range of professions that girls can pursue. It reminds little ones that it’s okay for girls to have aspirations other than ballerinas or princesses (though those are fine too!). The art is splendid, featuring a diverse cast whose expressions and movements capture the joys of childhood and female friendship. The length is perfect, and JJ and I loved it. A great way to show readers that, be it in fashion or their future, girls should never be put in a box. Baby Bookworm approved!

A is For Awesome: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed The World (Eva Chen)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is A is For Awesome: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed The World, written by Eva Chen and illustrated by Derek Desierto, a delightful alphabet book that introduces young readers to notable “sheroes”.

After a hearty welcome by Juno (protagonist of Chen’s previous book Juno Valentine And The Magical Shoes), the reader is given one-sentence introductions to (and occasionally quotations of) female role models of note, organized alphabetically by the letter of their first name – A is for Amelia Earhart, B is for Beyoncé, C is for Coco Chanel, and so on. The women range from scientists, entertainers, suffragists, athletes, artists, lawmakers, and even a bonafide goddess. X, Y and Z represent eXtraordinary You (accompanied by a full-page mirror), and the Zillions of adventures you’ll go on – just as awesome as all the ladies that came before.

What else can I say? AWESOME! Meant as a primer for the littlest bookworms, this colorful and exuberant look at some deserving female trailblazers is a wonderful way to introduce the power of women to younger and pre-readers. The selection of featured figures is well-balanced, representing a varied range of skintones, religions and backgrounds, though most of the ladies are American. Desierto’s art is simple and friendly, using elements of mixed media cutouts for hair, clothes, and surroundings to frame the warm, open faces of the subjects. It makes each woman feel like a new friend, and works perfectly. JJ adored this one, especially the mirror on the final page, and it was a fairly quick read as well. A must for any young feminist’s bookshelf, and emphatically Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)