A Mighty Girl's top picks of girl-empowering books for children and teens about making friends and coping with friendship challenges.

Whether they are in the midst of making new friends or renewing old ones, learning to navigate the complexities of friendship is an important part of growing up. In this blog post, we've showcased our favorite fictional stories and non-fiction guides that can help children and teens learn how to form and keep positive, healthy friendships. From the first introduction to the first big fight, these timely stories will help your Mighty Girl learn how to be a great friend at every age! Continue reading → Continue reading

The top books on helping kids overcome anxiety and worry for children, teens, and parents.

With everything going on in their lives and the world, it's no wonder that many kids and teens are struggling with worry and anxiety — plenty of adults are too! But while anxiety may be a normal response to many day-to-day stressors, it's important for all of us, including kids, to learn how to manage our worries so that we can feel in control, think clearly, and make healthy choices that suit what we really need, both now and in the future. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of guides for girls in middle & high school -- and their parents!

Parents of younger Mighty Girls looking for books about school can find recommendations in our first post in the series: Back-to-School Books About Mighty Girls’ Adventures at Elementary School.

Tweens and teens have a lot on their plates: more academic material to learn, increasingly complicated social relationships, busy extracurriculars, and more. On top of that, they have to adjust to their increasing independence and even start thinking about the career direction they'd like to take. Put it all together and it’s no wonder that tweens and teens report being stressed out by school!

Fortunately, there are some great books out there to help tweens, teens, and their parents to work through these stresses and make their middle school, high school, or college experience positive and empowering. In this blog post, we're showcasing our favorite guides for tween and teen Mighty Girls, tackling everything from standing up against bullying to building confidence to learning important skills like perseverance and self-direction. We even include some great resources to help your Mighty Girl learn about a wide variety of fascinating careers — maybe one will be the job of her dreams! And for parents, we include a selection of books to help you understand how your relationship dynamic will likely change as she goes from a girl to a grown woman, as well as what she's going through behind her school and bedroom doors.

These years may be a tumultuous time, but they're also an exciting one! We're hoping that these resources will help you and your girls get the most out of the tween and teen years.
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These are critical phrases girls can use when their contributions to a discussion are interrupted or discounted.

There are ten words every girl should learn according to writer Soraya Chemaly — not vocabulary terms, but critical phrases they can use when their contributions to a discussion are interrupted or discounted. Practicing her three phrases — “Stop interrupting me," “I just said that," and "No explanation needed" — will help girls speak them in real life, and teach both boys and girls that it’s not socially acceptable to interrupt or ignore a female voice. Whether in the classroom, in the boardroom, or on the Senate floor, it's time for mighty girls and women to persist and ensure that their voices are heard. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's favorite picture books about Mighty Girls starting preschool, kindergarten, and first grade.

The first day of school is exciting, but it's also a little nerve wracking, even for the bravest of Mighty Girls! For kids starting preschool or kindergarten, the big questions are likely to be about what school is like, how they'll manage missing Mom and Dad, and whether they'll make friends. Children moving up to first grade may also wonder if they're up for the increased expectations and bigger challenges that come with no longer being brand new to school.

Fortunately, there are some great picture books out there to help reassure kids that they can handle whatever comes their way at school. These books provide helpful tips in age appropriate ways — and equally importantly, get kids giggling about how the Mighty Girls in the stories get through their own first days at school. 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

From devoted friends to wise teachers to ferocious beasts, you'll find dragons of all varieties in our collection of Mighty Girl dragon stories!

When you talk about fantastic creatures, some people picture fairies, or unicorns, or elves — and some picture dragons! Your Mighty Girl may imagine herself as the daring soul who cows the dragon by force of arm or clever wit, or she might picture herself with a devoted dragon friend, flying to new heights and learning arcane secrets. With versions of dragons in almost every culture, filling every role from devoted mentors to ferocious beasts, there’s probably a dragon to suit any Mighty Girl’s dream. Continue reading → Continue reading

Dr. Frances Kelsey resisted intense industry pressure to approve thalidomide; the drug was the cause of severe birth defects in over 10,000 infants in other countries.

When pharmacologist Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey started working at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1960, one of the first files to cross her desk was an approval request for thalidomide. The drug had already been prescribed widely in Europe and other countries as a treatment for morning sickness in pregnant women, but Kelsey wasn't convinced it was safe. Her refusal to approve the drug, despite intense pressure from its manufacturer, likely saved tens of thousands of babies in America from devastating birth defects. "Representatives for the company thought I was crazy because it was such a popular drug in Europe, and they were losing money by my pigheadedness," asserted Kelsey in a later interview. "I held my ground. I just wouldn't approve it." Continue reading → Continue reading

A step by step guide to making a DIY First Period Kit!

A new school year is full of firsts, and for many Mighty Girls that may include her first period! To help her feel prepared for whenever her period starts, a "just in case" first period kit is a great addition to her backpack or school locker. And, the start of a new school year is the perfect time to stash a first period kit in her backpack and talk to her about what to expect when her period comes. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's reading recommendations and other resources for children and teens honoring the contributions of women to the founding of the United States.

The Fourth of July is celebrated across the United States in commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. While no women were present to add their signatures to the declaration, their role in creating and preserving the freedom that all Americans cherish is equally important to our nation’s history. In this blog post, we strive to, as Abigail Adams famously directed her husband, John Adams, one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence, “remember the ladies” and their immense contributions to the nation's founding!  Continue reading → Continue reading