7 Awesome Books to Show Your Daughter What Girl Power Can Be Like

There's nothing wrong with princesses and fairy tales, but our daughters need to know they can be anything and do anything they want.

Here are seven books to read with your daughter that encourage openness, empowerment, and confidence

What Girls Can Do

By Bonnie Doroy-Enriquez

Illustrated by Sri Wahyuni

Preschoolers won’t have a problem understanding this book’s message. It’s an easy read with simple verses and beautiful illustrations that encourage girls to explore, widen their perspective, and go on a path of self-discovery. There are no limits to what girls can do and this book is proof — just ask the author who published the book herself!

Available at Pumplepie Books and Happiness for Php350.

A Different Kind of Policeman 

By Emma R. Tan
Illustrated by Robert A. Alejandro

This is the story of Kiran Bedi, a police officer from India who dealt with rallyists and protesters frequently but showed maximum tolerance and respect for human rights each time. She was the one to introduce preventative policing in India, where citizens monitored crime in their communities and worked together with the police to make their neighborhoods safer.

This book, a part of the Great Men and Women of Asia Children’s Series, will not only show your daughters that girls can become amazing police officers but let them know the importance of treating each other with respect and acceptance.

Available at Pumplepie Books and Happiness for Php98.

Lub-Dub, Lub-Dub 

By Russell Molina
Illustrated by Jomike Tejido

This is the story of Dr. Fe del Mundo, the first Filipina to be enrolled in Harvard Medical School and who set up a children’s home in the Philippines to treat orphans and children caught in the war between the Japanese and Americans. Told from the perspective of a child, it highlights many of Dr. del Mundo’s achievements while showing how much she loved and cared for the youth.

Available at Pumplepie Books and Happiness for Php98.

Made Perfect in Weakness 

By Dr. Didith T. Rodrigo
Illustrated by Patricia Lascano

Roselle Ambubuyog became blind at six years old but that didn’t stop her from enrolling in a regular school, being at the top of her class, and ultimately graduating as a summa cum laude with a degree in BS Mathematics. Her inspiring story will teach your girls how to be resilient in times of adversity and that determination and hard work fuel success.

Available at Pumplepie Books and Happiness for Php98.

Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World

By Reshma Saujani

This book doesn’t just teach kids the basics of coding — it encourages girls to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects and break out from stereotypes. It also introduces readers to inspiring women who work at companies like Pixar and NASA to show how fun coding can be and how far it can take girls in this world.

The comic-type illustrations and simple explanations make it an interesting introduction to coding; however, younger readers might need their parents beside them to understand some of the concepts.

Available at Amazon for $11.67 (around Php610).

Free as a Bird: The Story of Malala

 

Written and illustrated by Lina Maslo

This book tells the story of Mala Yousafzai, a human rights activist from Pakistan and the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. She became famous for speaking up for the right to education of Pakistani girls and almost died fighting for it.

It’s an age-appropriate read for younger kids with a charming narrative and beautiful illustrations — the attempt on Malala’s life is represented by abstract art — “over several pages, a bulletlike blast of black on red morphs into choppy blue waters, a waterfall, and a cluster of soaring birds, signaling Malala’s recovery,” writes Publisher’s Weekly. It might be a sensitive subject but it teaches girls to be brave and to never fear to let their voices be heard.

Available at National Book Store for Php755

 

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls

By Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli

From the title alone, you can already tell it’s not your typical bedtime read. The book features the stories of 200 extraordinary women from the past and present — from Elizabeth I to Beyoncé. Your daughters might already be familiar with some of these women, but we’re pretty sure they’ll also love to get to know those that they haven’t heard of. Each short biography is written in the style of a fairy tale, inspiring girls to dream, pursue their goals, and find their inner strength.

Available in Fully Booked for Php3,572 (set of 2).