'I like good strong words that mean something...' -- Louisa May Alcott

Say the names Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and most people will immediately think of Little Women! Louisa May Alcott's classic American novel has touched generations of readers, been translated into multiple languages, and been adapted for stage, screen, and more. While its setting is in the midst of the Civil War, there is something about its messages about love, sisterhood, and identity that feels truly timeless, and just as relevant today as when it was written. Continue reading → Continue reading

Mighty Girl classics beloved by generations of young readers!

While hundreds of wonderful new Mighty Girl books are published every year, there are also many girl-empowering stories that have been passed down for decades! Times may have changed, but these classic characters still speak to the girls of today just as they did to their mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers! With that in mind, we're showcasing our favorite classic Mighty Girl stories in this blog post. These are books that you’re likely to remember from your own childhood — in fact, you may have even been first introduced to them because an adult you know loved them as as child!

In the first section, we've highlighted classic stories written before 1950, many of which remain immensely popular decades after their publication. In the second section, we've featured modern classics written between 1950 and 1990. These modern classics show the changes in the way Western culture viewed girls and women with the Mighty Girls in these pages tackling difficult social issues, going on hitherto unimagined adventures, and daring to define themselves in daring ways. And, more and more, girls being portrayed in strong leadership roles is no longer considered unusual — that's just the way Mighty Girls are!

So take a look at our collection and see if your favorite Mighty Girl book from your own childhood is on here. One way or another, it’s sure to spur you to share a few with the Mighty Girls in your life. After all, one of the great joys of a beloved book is having the opportunity to share it with a new generation!

Of course, the books featured in this post are only a handful of the many Mighty Girl books available. To browse our collection of over 3,000 girl-empowering books for children and teens, sortable by recommended reading age and theme, visit our Books section.

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A Mighty Girl tribute to this beloved Mighty Girl character and Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery!

For generations, readers have fallen in love with Anne Shirley, also known as Anne of Green Gables! Since author L.M. Montgomery published her novel about the imaginative red-haired orphan in 1908, the book has sold over 50 million copies around the world, and sparked adaptations for both stage and screen. It's no wonder that so many people know immediately who you mean when you talk about "Anne with an E." Continue reading → Continue reading

Judy Garland's Dorothy was one of the early 20th century's defining Mighty Girl characters.

There are few stories from American literature and film as well known as The Wizard of Oz! Whether you read the book first or marveled at the classic MGM movie, Dorothy Gale and her friends Toto the dog, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion have been beloved by generations. Dorothy, famously played by actress Judy Garland, was one of the early 20th century's defining Mighty Girl characters, although her determination occasionally got her book into hot water — in 1928, the book was banned from public libraries in Chicago "for depicting women in strong leadership roles"! Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

In our blog Beloved Books: Twenty Mighty Girl Classics, we shared twenty Mighty Girl books from 1950 and earlier that have become favorites of multiple generations. Naturally, though, there are many equally wonderful stories that were written more recently! These are the books from the 1950s to the 1980s that many members of our community grew up reading — and are now beginning to pass on to their own Mighty Girls.

Although all classics remain popular because they break new ground, these modern classics show the changes to the way Western culture viewed girls and women. The Mighty Girls in these pages tackle difficult social issues, go on hitherto unimagined adventures, and dare to define themselves in daring ways. More diverse characters begin to fill their pages, as well, with more girls of color finally filling the roles of heroes instead of bystanders or companions. Most of all, the girls in these books are no longer portrayed as eccentrics for being daring, courageous, and smart: in fact, for these Mighty Girl authors, that’s just as expected!

So take a look at our list and see if your favorite Mighty Girl book from your own childhood is on here! One way or another, it’s sure to spur you to share your own list of modern classics with the Mighty Girls in your life.

Of course, the books featured in this post are only a handful of the wonderful Mighty Girl books available. To browse our collection of over 2,000 girl-empowering books for children and teens, visit our Books section.
Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

While there are dozens of great new Mighty Girl books getting published every year, there are also many girl-empowering stories that have been passed down for generations! Times may have changed, but these classic characters still speak to the girls of today just as they did to their grandmothers.

With that in mind, we're showcasing our favorite classic Mighty Girl stories. These are books that you’re likely to remember from your own childhood — in fact, you may have even been first introduced to them because an adult you know loved them as as child!

Of course, there are so many of these classic stories that it was hard to narrow down our list, so with that in mind, we’ve split our list of favorites into two parts. In this post, we’re highlighting our twenty favorite stories from 1950 and earlier and we follow-up with a selection of our favorite modern classics in our post Beloved Books, Part 2: Twenty Mighty Girl Modern Classics.

The classic stories featured below have already been passed down through multiple generations — now is a great time to introduce them to a new generation of Mighty Girls! Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist
In our blog Beloved Books: Twenty Mighty Girl Classics, we shared twenty Mighty Girl books from 1950 and earlier that have become favorites of multiple generations. Naturally, though, there are many equally wonderful stories that were written more recently! These are the books from the 1950s to the 1980s that many members of our community grew up reading — and are now beginning to pass on to their own Mighty Girls.

Although all classics remain popular because they break new ground, these modern classics show the changes to the way Western culture viewed girls and women. The Mighty Girls in these pages tackle difficult social issues, go on hitherto unimagined adventures, and dare to define themselves in daring ways. More diverse characters begin to fill their pages, as well, with more girls of color finally filling the roles of heroes instead of bystanders or companions. Most of all, the girls in these books are no longer portrayed as eccentrics for being daring, courageous, and smart: in fact, for these Mighty Girl authors, that’s just as expected!

So take a look at our list and see if your favorite Mighty Girl book from your own childhood is on here! One way or another, it’s sure to spur you to share your own list of modern classics with the Mighty Girls in your life.

Of course, the books featured in this post are only a handful of the wonderful Mighty Girl books available. To browse our collection of over 2,000 girl-empowering books for children and teens, visit our Books section.
Continue reading → Continue reading