A Mighty Girl's Father's Day tribute showcases our favorite books celebrating the special father-daughter bond.

A father is a special presence in a girl’s life: he supports, encourages, and loves his daughter, even as he models to her what a man can be. Father’s Day provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this unique and important relationship in the lives of many Mighty Girls. Whether they’re dancing with their babies, walking in the dark and snow with their little girls, or teaching their tweens and teens to be self-sufficient, the fathers in these books know a thing or two about raising Mighty Girls! Continue reading → Continue reading

The courageous teenager rode 40 miles on horseback to muster local militia troops in response to a British attack on the town of Danbury during the U.S. Revolutionary War.

On the night of April 26, 1777, 16-year-old Sybil Ludington climbed onto her horse and set off on a mission: a 40-mile ride to muster local militia troops in response to a British attack on the town of Danbury, Connecticut. Riding all night through rain — and traveling twice the distance that Paul Revere rode during his famous midnight ride — Sybil returned home at dawn having given nearly the entire regiment of 400 Colonial troops the order to assemble. Following the battle, General George Washington personally thanked Sybil for her service and bravery. Although every American school child knows the story of Paul Revere — largely thanks to the famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — unfortunately few are taught about Sybil Ludington's courageous feat. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of books starring autistic girls and guides for autistic girls and their parents.

Every April people around the world recognize World Autism Month: a time to learn more about this common neurodivergence, build understanding and acceptable of autistic people, and celebrate how different perspectives can bring much needed variety and innovation to our world! Despite ongoing efforts by both autistic people and their allies, autism remains a subject of significant misunderstanding and prejudice. For girls, the problems caused by lack of awareness are often magnified: they are less frequently diagnosed, often show a different pattern of behaviors than autistic boys, and struggle with the burden of gendered expectations that make it more difficult for them to get the support they need. Continue reading → Continue reading

At six years old, Ruby Bridges famously became the first Black child to desegregate an all-White elementary school in the South.

The moment has been immortalized in a Norman Rockwell painting with the apt title The Problem We All Live With: a little African American girl walks to school, surrounded by a team of U.S. Marshals, with racist graffiti and thrown garbage ornamenting the wall behind her. Ruby Bridges was only 6 years old in 1960 when the first grader arrived for her first day of school at  William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans — and was met by a vicious mob. The courageous girl would spend a year alone in the classroom, since other children had been removed by their parents due to her presence. But today, the 68-year-old Bridges says that those difficult days were worth it: "I now know that experience comes to us for a purpose, and if we follow the guidance of the spirit within us, we will probably find that the purpose is a good one." Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's favorite back-to-school books for young children!

It can be easy for adults to forget that, for kids, school is an adventure: sometimes exhilarating, sometimes nerve-wracking, and always full of new experiences! Each year at school, kids face new challenges like building relationships with peers, meeting new expectations from teachers, and discovering their own talents and gifts. And, like any time you start an adventure, it helps to be prepared — with a few good books to reassure Mighty Girls that they're ready to take on whatever comes their way!

Whether your Mighty Girl is starting school for the first time, moving to a new school, or just anticipating the start of a new year, these books will help her feel prepared. By answering some of her questions about what it will be like — and reassuring her that there are wonderful things to learn and do there — you can help your Mighty Girl get excited about her first day. Continue reading → Continue reading

Books, toys, clothing, and more celebrating girls and women in soccer in honor of the 2023 Women's World Cup!

With nearly 30 million players in over 200 countries, it's no surprise that soccer is the world's most prominent women's team sport! In fact, women’s soccer games have been recorded since the late 19th century, and today, 187 nations have national women’s soccer teams. Best of all, girls’ soccer leagues continue to thrive, with gender representation among youth soccer players almost exactly 50-50, something that's all too rare in athletics. It's no wonder that excitement about the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is at a fever pitch, with millions of girls around the world eager to cheer on their favorite players — and dream about their own turn kicking the winning goal! Continue reading → Continue reading

These powerful stories for tweens and teens explore the grim realities of life under dictatorships, and why protecting our democracy by becoming an informed and engaged citizen is more important than ever.

There are many rights we take for granted in a democracy, from freedom of speech to the opportunity to vote, from the freedom to criticize the government to the peaceful transition of power after free and fair elections. Tragically, throughout history, many people have discovered how fragile their rights — and their democracies — can be when extreme polarization leads to mob rule and the erosion of democratic norms. Time after time, in countries around the world, would-be autocrats and authoritarian regimes have used these fractures in weakened democracies to assert absolute control, often violently suppressing any opposition. Continue reading → Continue reading

The best new books for children and teens about incredible girls and women for Women's History Month 2023.

Every year, we at A Mighty Girl are thrilled to see the number of new books that are released introducing children and teens to inspiring women of history! As the bookshelves of women's history titles continue to grow, our kids — both girls and boys — have even more opportunities to learn about the women who have changed our world, giving them a more diverse and nuanced perspective on our past. Better yet, these books provide terrific role models for the next generation of bold, determined, and pioneering women! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top tips for parents on keeping kids engaged at home while observing social distancing.

With schools closing, events cancelled, and many companies urging employees to work from home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, parents are facing an unexpected challenge. Since many of these closures overlap school March breaks, kids may not have homework to do — and even if they do, the lack of school and extracurricular activities will leave them with extra time on their hands. But that doesn't mean that parents can rely on their usual school holiday activities like playdates, playgrounds, and museum visits: as Dr. Asaf Bitton writes in Social Distancing: This Is Not A Snow Day, "even if you choose only one friend to have over, you are creating new links and possibilities for the type of transmission that all of our school/work/public event closures are trying to prevent.... We need to all do our part during these times, even if it means some discomfort for a while." Continue reading → Continue reading

The Mighty Girl winners of this year's Newbery, Caldecott, and other top children's literary awards.

The beginning of the year isn't just awards season for movies: it's also the time when many literary organizations name their picks for the best books of the previous year! The American Library Association has a selection of prestigious awards that recognize children's and young adult titles — and in 2019, many excellent Mighty Girl titles are among the award winners. Continue reading → Continue reading