By Lili Sandler, A Mighty Girl Senior Research Intern

As we prepare for Earth Day, we’re excited to share a selection of ecologically-focused toys, kits, and gear for the young environmentalist in your life. Whether she’s interested in science, prefers artistic pursuits, enjoys a game or puzzle, or shows her Earth pride by choosing reusable products, we at A Mighty Girl are thrilled to support every girls’ dedication to protecting the Earth. And, for those children who aren't yet sure what it means to 'go green,' there are plenty of toys and games to help them learn about protecting the environment -- all while having fun!

For the first part of our Earth Day series on environmental-themed stories, visit our post on Ten Mighty Girl Books to Inspire Young Environmentalists.

SCIENCE, GONE GREEN!

If you haven’t yet heard of Snap Circuits, you’re in for a treat. Consistently very highly-rated by parents and teachers alike, Snap Circuits are like Legos in that they’re plastic shapes that snap together, but unlike Legos, the goal is to create an electrical circuit or device. With the Snap Circuits Alternative Energy Kit, young electrical engineers can experiment with creating 125 project focused on learning about electricity and alternative energy. Highly recommended for ages 8 and up, Snap Circuits are sure to be a hit!

With the Power House: Green Essentials Edition, young environmentalists can learn all about alternative energy, sustainable living, and replenishing resources by building energy-related models and conducting experiments. Projects include, but are not limited to: a greenhouse, a wind turbine, a hydrometer, a lemon battery, and the power house itself. Recommended for ages 10 and up, this kit also includes a diary with entries from a young group of explorers on an island who are learning to live a sustainable existence. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Elizabeth Alarid, A Mighty Girl Senior Research Intern

We are thrilled to launch our new blog series on "A Mighty Girl Creators" with our interview with Newbery Honoree Ingrid Law, author of Savvy and Scumble. Savvy, A Mighty Girl Top Pick book, is the story of 13 year old Mississippi "Mibs" Beaumont and her extraordinary family, all who possess a "savvy", a special ability akin to a super power, that can range from raising mountains to controlling the weather to hearing the thoughts of others.

A moving and hilarious coming of age tale, Savvy follows Mibs on a rollicking adventure aboard a bus as she grieves for her hospitalized father, has her first kiss, makes new friends, and transitions into her teenage years. Though Mibs discovers her savvy along the way, she comes to realize that each person has their own special strengths that make them exceptional, even if it's a normal kind of special ability, like being caring, resilient, or nurturing. Filled with adventure, humor, and delightfully playful language, "Savvy" is a book that celebrates the strength, perseverance, and tolerance housed within each individual, magical or otherwise.

Savyy's author, Ingrid Law, is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have been placed on over 25 state reading lists, and have earned multiple awards, including a Newbery Honor citation, a Boston Globe - Horn Book honor, and the Lamplighter Award. Her work has received accolades from Publisher's Weekly, Oprah's reading list, the Today Show's Al Roker's Book Club for Kids, and Smithsonian. Ingrid lives in Colorado, where she writes full time and is currently working on her next novel. You can find her on her website and on Facebook. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Jennifer de Beer, A Mighty Girl Research Intern

The season of reflection is upon us, and here at A Mighty Girl we’ve been taking a look back at the year’s new releases. As it is also the season of gifting, many of you are likely interested in finding some fresh, new material to inspire and delight the Mighty Girls in your life. Whether you like to stay on top of new releases or are seeking the perfect present for a young book lover, you are in luck!

Our latest special collection, 2012 Mighty Girl Books: A Year in Review features more than more than 100 empowering books for girls, the majority of which are brand new additions to our site.

Over the course of this past year, a wide variety of books have hit the market that feature stellar Mighty Girl characters. The new titles run the gamut, from picture books to young adult novels, historical fiction to fantasy, and the return of old favorites alongside newcomers. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Lili Sandler, A Mighty Girl Research Intern

We are pleased to introduce A Mighty Girl's “Small but Mighty” Toy Collection! We know that there are times when you want to get the Mighty Girl in your life just a wee special present, and we’ve selected 250 different toys that fit that bill. Whether you’re looking to stuff a stocking, reward her hard work, or just put a smile on her face, there’s sure to be something in this collection that will do the trick.

We've included toys to appeal to Mighty Girls of every age from infants to teens. You can choose from an array of girl-empowering sticker books, action figures, cards games, science toys, finger puppets, sports equipment, Lego minifigures, musical instruments and much more -- and the vast majority of the toys in this collection are small enough to fit into a Christmas stocking. We've also sought out toys that were very affordable. Everything in the collection is under $20 and nearly two-thirds of the toys are under $10. Continue reading → Continue reading

After months of hard work, we are thrilled to present our newest site addition -- A Mighty Girl Toys! With the world's largest collection of girl empowering books, movies, and music, adding toys was a natural extension of our mission of showcasing diverse and high-quality girl empowering products.

From science and building toys to dolls and action figures to video games and crafts, the new toy section features nearly 2,000 carefully selected toys that honor the entire breadth of girls' interests – not just those represented in the ‘girls’ aisle of your average toy store.

In this post, we hope to provide answers to a few common questions about the toy section and, hopefully, make it easy for you to find exactly what you're looking for during your visit. Continue reading → Continue reading

The beginning of the school year is one of the most exciting times of the year, but it can be one of the most anxiety-provoking as well! We’ve put together a list of the best back-to-school books to help your Mighty Girls make sense of these emotions and to show them that they’re not alone. These books speak to the range of school experiences, from first-day jitters to dealing with bullying to struggling to find one's own voice.

You can view the complete list of Mighty Girl school stories in our Back to School Special Feature or browse through a few of our favorites highlight below for students in different age groups, including new students, elementary school (grades 2 – 5), middle school (grades 5 – 9), and high school (grades 9 – 12).

Continue reading → Continue reading

Wangari Maathai was a highly accomplished Kenyan environmentalist who has been the subject of a number of recent stunning picture books. After training as a biologist in the U.S., Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental and women's empowerment organization that trains women in rural Kenya to plant trees in order to combat deforestation. Since its founding in 1977, her organization has planted over 40 million trees and trained over 30,000 women in trades that provide them with income and preserve the country's natural resources. Maathai's efforts effectively transformed the landscape of Kenya and raised countless women out of poverty. For her great contributions, Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 -- becoming the first African woman to do so.

In the past several years, four picture books have been released on the life and work of Maathai. All four are beautifully illustrated and trace her life from her early girlhood days to her founding of the Green Belt Movement and the impact her work had on the land and people of Kenya. Continue reading → Continue reading

Many people are familiar with Astrid Lindgren's beloved children's classic Pippi Longstocking but her lesser known novel, Ronia, the Robber's Daughter," is equally fantastic and highly recommended for those seeking a compelling adventure story starring a courageous and compassionate Mighty Girl.

The story is set in the early Middle Ages in Scandinavia and follows Ronia, a young girl growing up in a robber clan led by her father, Mattis. Ronia is a very spirited child, who spends her time exploring the countryside and taming wild horses. One day Ronia saves the life of the son of a rival clan chief and the two become friends. Eventually, the revelation of the children's close friendship leads to a massive feud between the clans and the decision by the children to run off together to the woods. In the end, the story ends happily as, inspired by the children's example, the adults eventually repent of their feuding and peace returns.

"Ronia" features an impressive heroine who is quite reminiscent of a young Katniss of The Hunger Games fame - she's brave and spirited, loyal to her friends, and determined to stay true to her beliefs even in the face of adult opposition. In "Ronia," not only has Lindgren created a rich engrossing fantasy world, she subtlety addresses themes of prejudice, gender, friendship, loyalty, and, most of all, the challenge of growing up and discovering what kind of person you want to be. Continue reading → Continue reading

In Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, eleven-year old Melody has a photographic memory and is the smartest kid in her school but no knows it. Melody has cerebral palsy and cannot walk or talk. Stuck in preschool-level classes her whole life and unable to share her thoughts with anyone, her life has become an exercise in frustration. Yet, Melody refuses to be defined by her disability and, when she receives a keyboard that allows her to communicate for the first time, her life and those of everyone around her changes.

Young people, like many adults, are often uncomfortable and uncertain how to act when meeting people with disabilities. Out of My Mind is an excellent novel to help tween/teen readers ages 10 and up understand that people with disabilities are just like them, with thoughts and feelings; hopes and dreams.

Draper, a multiple Coretta Scott King Award winner and the mother of a child with developmental difficulties, was inspired to write Out of My Mind for "all the parents of disabled kids who struggle, to all those children who are misunderstood, to all those caregivers who help every step of the way. It's also written for people who look away, who pretend they don't see, or who don't know what to say when they encounter someone who faces life with obvious differences. Just smile and say hello!"

For a wonderful and, at times, emotionally-charged story of a young girl with an indomitable spirit that is sure to challenge many of the stereotypes and biases held about people with disabilities, A Mighty Girl highly recommends Out of My Mind. Continue reading → Continue reading

In honor of Mother's Day this coming weekend, we've selected My Name Is Not Isabella: Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream? by Jennifer Fosberry as this week's A Mighty Girl's top book pick. This beautifully illustrated picture book follows young Isabella as she spends the day imagining herself as different... Continue reading