A Mighty Girl's top picks of the Hermione-themed toys and clothing for fans of all ages!

Harry Potter may be the name on the book, but anyone who's read the series or watched the films knows that, more often than not, Hermione Granger is the one behind the plan that saves the day! For a generation of kids, this smart, confident, and courageous Mighty Girl has been one of the most beloved literary and film role models. In fact, when The Hollywood Reporter recently conducted a survey of 1,800 industry professionals, including actors, writers, and directors, Hermione Granger was selected as the favorite fictional female character of all time — by both male and female respondents. And with the series now in its third decade, the first book having been published in 1997, there are plenty of fans from a new generation who show that Hermione will be influencing young readers for years to come! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of historical fiction starring Mighty Girls for tweens and teens!

For many readers, a good work of historical fiction takes history from facts and figures on a page and brings it to life! Historical fiction encourages readers to imagine what it was like to live in times and places other than our own — and helps them see that, no matter when and where someone lives, people are more alike than different. Plus, historical fiction has a particular role to play when studying eras where girls and women were often relegated to the sidelines: it can draw out their involvement in the major events of the period and show that, wherever history was being made, girls were there too. Continue reading → Continue reading

Experts offer tips for parents on building girls' confidence in math.

“Why do smart people enjoy saying that they are bad at math?” laments Petra Bonfert-Taylor, a professor of engineering at Dartmouth College. “Few people would consider proudly announcing that they are bad at writing or reading.” After seeing one too many examples of adults “passing on [mathematical anxiety] like a virus,” Bonfert-Taylor has an important message for math-phobic parents and educators: “We are passing on from generation to generation the phobia for mathematics... [and] as a result, too many of us have lost the ability to examine a real-world problem, translate it into numbers, solve the problem and interpret the solution.” Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of girl-empowering books for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

"The Latina in me is an ember that blazes forever." — Sonia Sotomayor, first United States Supreme Court Justice of Hispanic heritage

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Every year, from September 15 to October 15, Americans celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. To recognize this special month, we've put together a selection of our favorite books for children and teens starring Latina Mighty Girls! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of spooky and suspenseful books for tweens & teens.

As Halloween approaches, it's fun to read spooky stories that send shivers up and down your spine! While in the past, many thrilling tales of suspense and mystery played up the stereotype of the screaming girl who needs rescuing, there are many great books available today starring Mighty Girls who use their courage, their wits, and their strength to untangle the mystery and face down whatever is lurking in the shadows. Continue reading → Continue reading

For her discovery of artificial radioactivity, Irène Joliot-Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935, just as her mother, Marie Curie, had in 1911.

Radiation can be dangerous, even deadly — but it has also saved millions of lives thanks to Irène Joliot-Curie's discovery of artificial radiation! Joliot-Curie, the daughter of Marie Curie, the first woman ever to win a Nobel Prize, carried on her mother's legacy of scientific study. Joliot-Curie's groundbreaking research allowed scientists to produce 'designer' radioactive elements quickly and easily, making them widely available for use in research and medical treatment for the first time. This discovery won Joliot-Curie and her husband, Frédéric Joliot-Curie, the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1935, cementing her place in scientific history — and making the Curies the family with the most Nobel laureates to date.  Continue reading → Continue reading

Our favorite fun and spooky Mighty Girl stories to bewitch kids of all ages this Halloween!

Halloween is coming fast, and most kids’ eyes gleam at the thought: the costumes, the candy, the fun, and, of course, the chance to enjoy some spooky and fun stories! So that you can stock your bookshelf with some great Mighty Girl books to enjoy this Halloween, we’ve highlighted all of our seasonal favorites in a new blog post. There's a spooky (or not-so-spooky) story for every young Halloween lover in our collection! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of stories starring Mighty Girl witches for children and teens.

On Halloween night, don't be surprised if you see a broomstick in the sky! Witches are a fixture of the Halloween tradition — and since most witches are depicted as female, there are plenty of stories out there starring Mighty Girl witches. From funny picture books to quirky and suspenseful middle grade novels to creepy young adult titles, there's something here to suit every witch-loving reader. Continue reading → Continue reading

Our top picks of books for children and teens starring Mighty Girls who love to read!

For over 50 years, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization has celebrated International Literacy Day. On their Literacy Day web page UNESCO emphasizes why literacy is so important: it is “the foundation of all learning... a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development.” 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