By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

Maybe you first heard the name Hayao Miyazaki in 2003, when Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film, and wondered what was so remarkable that had everyone talking; maybe you had long since discovered the wondrous, fantastical works of this visionary writer and filmmaker; or maybe you’ve only just heard about Miyazaki’s work, and you’re wondering which film you might want to check out. Whatever your experience with Miyazaki, or Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded, chances are good that you’ll recognize the name!

Miyazaki’s body of work holds a special place with us at A Mighty Girl. In the world of animated films, girls are surprisingly under-represented, especially adventurous, daring girls. Unlike many anime or manga writers — and many children’s media writers in general — Miyazaki's films frequently star strong female characters. And while Western audience often think of animation as a medium strictly for children, Miyazaki’s works range from the fanciful and fun, like Kiki’s Delivery Service, to darker, more complex works that tackle challenging issues, like Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Miyazaki, who is often called “the Walt Disney of Japan”, has also inspired others with his love of traditional hand-drawn animation, his nuanced and complex characters, and his vivid fantasy settings. In fact, much like Walt Disney, the hallmarks of his work are clear, even on Studio Ghibli projects that he did not direct or write. Filmmakers and animators around the world have declared the powerful influence Miyazaki’s work had on their own, including John Lasseter, Akira Kurosawa, and Guillermo del Toro — as well as the creative team behind The Simpsons, which included a scene referencing multiple Miyazaki films in a 2014 episode.

In honor of Miyazaki’s retirement, A Mighty Girl has put together a tribute to the works of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Here, we’ll share some of his manga comic titles and films, as well as toys, gear, clothing, and decor that celebrate these beautiful stories. If you're a fan of Miyazaki’s work, you’ll find some great products to celebrate your favorite characters, and if you’re new to Miyazaki, we hope this blog will inspire you to check out some of his work. We’re confident that you — and your Mighty Girl — will love Miyazaki as much as millions of other fans do. Continue reading → Continue reading

Since founding Studio Ghibli in 1985, film director Hayao Miyazaki has produced a series of highly acclaimed animated movies that have earned him the moniker 'The Walt Disney of Japan.' And, unlike most Japanese magna-style films, the protagonists of most Miyazaki's films are strong and independent girls or young women... Continue reading

75 New & Classic Girl-Empowering Books for Holiday Gift Giving!

"I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book." — J. K. Rowling

When you’re looking for a gift for a book lover of any age, the natural choice is a good book! And, while the hundreds of titles in A Mighty Girl's book collection have been vetted to ensure they are both high quality and girl empowering, we understand that during the busy holiday season a 'cheat' sheet of the best Mighty Girl books for gifting can make choosing a book for a special child or young person much easier. To that end, in this blog post, we've complied a selection of enduring Mighty Girl favorites, alongside a number of the best 2016 new releases (which are marked by a brand new icon below). From gorgeously-illustrated picture books to thought-provoking teen fiction, these titles will delight, intrigue, educate, and inspire girls and boys alike!

To discover more 2016 releases, stay tuned for our annual 'Year in Review' round-up of the best Mighty Girl books of 2016, which we'll be releasing in early January.

Of course, you can also find many more reading recommendations in our entire collection of nearly 2,500 Mighty Girl books for all ages. And, for anyone looking for reading recommendations for adults, don't miss our new blog post Stories of Mighty Women: 2016 Biographies for Adult Readers. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

Since 1970, Earth Day has grown from a one-time event involving 20 million Americans to an annual global day of awareness involving more than 22,000 organizations in 192 countries. On April 22 and throughout the month of April, people everywhere focus on the wonders of our amazing planet and the need to protect it.

In preparation for Earth Day, A Mighty Girl will provide a variety of resources that parents and educators can use to introduce environmental issues and concerns to children. We begin our new blog series with this post showcasing girl-empowering movies with an environmental theme. These films showcase the beauty and fragility of the Earth and both the fictional and real Mighty Girls and women who have worked to protect it.

So curl up with your Mighty Girl and share one of these great films; they’re sure to get her thinking about how she could change the world. 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

A Mighty Girl's top picks of girl-empowering graphic novels for teens.

We've already shown how graphic novels for young readers can explore real life issues and take readers on amazing flights of fancy — but, of course, graphic novels are not just for young readers! Graphic novels aimed at teens can tackle even more challenging material, exploring more complex worlds and characters that are more understandable for an older audience. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's 2019 Halloween Gallery is now live! A small sample of the many hundreds of photos submitted can be viewed in our Halloween Highlights blog post.

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos of their Mighty Girls in costume to our 2019 Halloween Gallery! We were awed by the creativity and variety of the Mighty Girl costumes submitted to the gallery. As we've always said, Mighty Girls know that their costume possibilities are limited only by their imaginations and with costumes ranging from ones based on favorite superheroes to ones inspired by historic role models, these Mighty Girls clearly know no bounds! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of girl-empowering pretend play toys!

Remember spending hours enjoying imaginary play? Most adults fondly recall hours, days, and sometimes years of pretending — from career dress-up to action figure adventures to playing house. These flights of fancy develop all sorts of skills in our kids, from cooperating with other kids to understanding of how our world works, but most importantly, they are lots of fun!

To spark your Mighty Girl's imagination this holiday, we've collected a selection of our favorite pretend play toys. Unlike toys and games that move a storyline in one direction, these flexible toys encourage kids to create — and recreate! — their own stories. Whether she's dreaming of superheroes or space travel, cooking or caring for patients, there's something in our recommendations that's sure to catch her attention and prompt even more exciting play. Continue reading → Continue reading

Our top picks of affordable gifts for the birthday Mighty Girls in your life!

If you're raising a Mighty Girl, you might want to share the fun by seeking out girl-empowering gifts for her friends' birthdays! The range of gifts marketed to girls is often extremely limited and highly gendered — so a little variety can encourage the birthday girl to explore new interests that she might not have considered before receiving the gift.

With that in mind, we've pulled together a selection of our favorite girl-empowering birthday gifts that are all under $25 so they fit within birthday-gift budgets. With a wide variety of toys, ranging from science to pretend play to games, there's something here to appeal to every child! And, if your Mighty Girl has a birthday coming up, you can also share this blog post or direct them to our extensive toy collection to encourage friends and family to think a little outside of the toys traditionally marketed to girls when gift shopping.

If you're looking for a fun Mighty Girl party favor idea, check out this Superhero Cape and Mask Set, which includes cape and mask sets featuring Spider-Girl, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and Supergirl.

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Our top picks of girl-empowering gifts perfect for an Easter basket or anytime you're looking for a special small present!

With Easter on its way, many members of our community are looking to fill their Mighty Girl's Easter basket with a few unique and empowering gifts — after all, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks are fun, but the right inspiring toy or game could be a hit all year long! With that in mind, we've put together a selection of 50 of our favorite Easter gifts for Mighty Girls of all ages. From toddlers to teens, you'll find a variety of intriguing gift options that will encourage her interests — or foster a new one! — and all of them are affordably priced and small enough to fit into an Easter basket.

If you don't find just the right thing in this blog post, our Girl Empowering Easter Gifts Collection has over 300 suggestions for your Mighty Girl to enjoy! Continue reading → Continue reading