Picture Books for Girl Empowerment
Sometimes little girls need encouragement and to know that they matter. They need to know that who they are, the things they say, and their dreams are important. Girls are often told they are too something…or not enough of something else. All too often young women are told how they should act, look, or feel but that isn’t the truth! To help young girls understand it’s okay to be different, okay to be true to yourself and to embrace who you are, we have put together a list of picture books for girl empowerment. YOU GO GIRL!
Anyone who's ever been underestimated or overshadowed will find inspiration in this empowering picture book. Author Meena Harris is a powerful, inspiring woman, who comes from a family of kick-butt ladies—her aunt is Vice President Kamala Harris!
When a young girl sees a strong woman on TV labeled as "too assertive" and "too ambitious," it sends her on a journey of discovery through past, present, and future about the challenges faced by women and girls and the ways in which they can reframe, redefine, and reclaim words meant to knock them down.
As Ambitious Girl says:
No "too that" or "too this"
will stop what's inside us from flowering.
For that little girl who sometimes is shy and quiet, but other times is belting out pop hits and galloping around the yard. For the girls who sometimes want to dress up in fancy clothes, but other times want to play in mud puddles and make as big a mess as possible. Princess Dinosaur is the perfect example of someone who knows you don’t have to just be one thing—you just have to be whoever YOU WANT TO BE!
Follow Princess Dinosaur as she works to embrace the sides of who she is that seems to contradict one other.
Princess Dinosaur loves wearing pink dresses and hosting fancy tea parties. But she also loves roaring and making messes. Embodying both parts of her personality to the fullest, Princess Dinosaur isn’t just one thing, she’s a princess and a dinosaur (and some other things, too)!
Honestly, I don’t think it would be a bad idea for kids to take over now and then: they have some fantastic ideas!! And adults have been known to screw things up sometimes. This colorful tale is silly and fun and lets kids use their imagination. But it also proves that kids should be proud of their ideas and not let anyone diminish their creativity!
Kids can imagine a world where they're in charge—and ask the grown-ups for help when they need to—in this adorable and imaginative picture book.
The kids have some excellent ideas: turning the Grand Canyon into a ball pit, replacing all the sidewalks with trampolines.
But running the world is a tough job. After the kids build a massive house of candy and then immediately eat all of their own furniture, they begin to have second thoughts.
Will the kids give the adults one more chance to run the world?
Even adults struggle with self-confidence and being proud of who they are. This is the perfect book to read together, reminding girls (and boys!) of ALL AGES that there is power in being happy with yourself. Maybe it will inspire you to come up with your own affirmations!
This amazing picture book celebrates that beauty of hair and is a buoyantly fun read aloud brimming with playful—and powerful—affirmations.
Happy with hair all short and strong. Happy with locks that twist and curl.
Just all girl happy! Happy to be nappy hair!
Meet Chamelia, the irrepressible chameleon who doesn't like to blend. She teaches a great lesson that even though sometimes it might be expected to blend in—who cares! It’s fun to stand out. This is the first of her adventures, but she’s a colorful character with quite a few stories.
Most chameleons are famous for their amazing camouflage skills and prefer to fit in, but Chamelia the chameleon prefers to stand out. She just loves being the center of attention. But when standing out means being left out, can Chamelia learn to share the spotlight?
What if? What if I decide to wear pigtails today? What if I want to be an astronaut? What if I tried a new food? The possibilities are endless! This vibrant book explores the never-ending possibilities that life holds and the power of the human spirit to express yourself!
Creativity, the power of imagination, and the importance of self-expression are celebrated in this inspiring picture book.
This girl is determined to express herself! If she can't draw her dreams, she'll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can't do that, she'll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she'll sing, dance, and dream...
Todd Parr ALWAYS gets it! He just knows exactly what to say! This Todd Parr classic is beloved for a reason. Sometimes the most empowering words are the simplest: IT’S OKAY. It’s OKAY to be you, whoever that might be today. It’s OKAY to feel how you’re feeling. IT’S OKAY and even if it doesn’t feel like it today, it’s going to be OKAY soon.
It's okay to need some help.
It's okay to be a different color.
It's okay to talk about your feelings.
This picture book cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding, and confidence in an accessible, child-friendly format. This book will inspire kids to celebrate their individuality through acceptance of others and self-confidence – and it's never too early to develop a healthy self-esteem.
Everyone’s been there…well maybe not in the ocean looking up at the stars in the sky, but we’ve all caught ourselves comparing ourselves to those around us. And what good does that do? As Hoshi learns, it’s best to look within and that’s when we really SHINE.
A shining new picture book about learning to appreciate the wonders in your world and within yourself, by New York Times bestselling author Patrick McDonnell and Naoko Stoop, creator of Red Knit Cap Girl, a New York Times Best Illustrated book.
Hoshi the sea star looks up in the sky and sees the stars shining. She wishes that she too could be in the sky amongst the brilliant stars—and as she imagines how much better it would be up in the air, she fails to appreciate the beautiful world that surrounds her underwater. It takes Hoshi's friends, old and new, to help her realize that her shine comes from within. With gorgeous illustrations depicting colorful underwater life, Shine! teaches about the wonders that can be found inside ourselves.