A Mighty Girl's top picks of books for kids -- and their parents -- on the joys of outdoor play, exploration, and discovery!

For many kids, there's nothing more fun than the chance to play outside! The winter's thaw has already provided plenty of opportunities for puddle jumping and planning this year's garden, and soon nicer weather and the end of the school year will soon provide more opportunities for hiking, beach trips, and lots of outdoor playtime. Best of all, it’s good for them: research shows how much benefit kids get from unstructured play outside. 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 books about girls and their beloved canine companions!

A loyal companion, a good listener, a helper when needed... a dog can be the most faithful companion that a girl ever has! And whether the dog your Mighty Girl loves is a family pet, a library reading buddy, or a neighborhood friend, she'll love reading stories that show her just how special that relationship is. Continue reading → Continue reading

Our favorite books for children and teens starring adventurous, sword-wielding Mighty Girls!

When it’s time for the brave young adventurer to pick up a sword and save the day, who says that adventurer has to be a boy? Sword-wielding Mighty Girls make for thrilling, dramatic fiction! If you have a child or teen who loves action, adventure, derring-do -- and a well-honed blade -- then there’s sure to be a perfect title for them in our new blog post showcasing our favorite books starring girls and women who are at home with a blade in hand. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of fantasy novels starring heroic girls and women!

One of the great powers of reading is that you can be transported into imaginary worlds: world where magic is real, where fantastical beasts roam freely, and where your hero may have the chance to save the entire world! Fantasy novels were long considered to be the domain of male protagonists — sword-swinging barbarians and clever wizards — but modern fantasy authors often put their Mighty Girl characters at the center of the story!  Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of mysteries for children and teens starring Mighty Girl detectives!

From uncovering a mystery to the hunt for clues, from mistaken conclusions to the big reveal, many Mighty Girls love detective stories! And, while many of the most favorite fictional detectives, from Sherlock Holmes to Hercule Poirot, are male, there are many excellent mysteries starring female detectives who lead investigations, study the evidence, and solve the mystery — all perfect for inspiring the would-be detectives of tomorrow! Continue reading → Continue reading

Our top picks of girl-empowering wordless picture books that will send kids' imaginations soaring!

Storytime is a popular ritual for many children — but what if the story has no words? Wordless picture books provide a unique storytelling experience, one that’s more interactive than a regular picture book: instead of just listening to you read, you and your child get to explore the action on the page and tell the story yourselves! A good wordless book, full of evocative illustrations with vivid details, encourages creativity and fosters plenty of discussion, either one on one or in a class group.

If you’re interested in incorporating wordless picture books into your library, we've showcased our favorites girl-empowering titles in this post. These intriguing, funny, and touching books will intrigue readers young and old alike!

For many more picture books starring Mighty Girls — with and without words — visit our Picture Book Collection.

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By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

“Children are born true scientists. They spontaneously experiment and experience and re-experience again. They select, combine, and test, seeking to find order in their experiences — ‘which is the mostest? which is the leastest?’ They smell, taste, bite, and touch-test for hardness, softness, springiness, roughness, smoothness, coldness, warmness: they heft, shake, punch, squeeze, push, crush, rub, and try to pull things apart.”

— R. Buckminster-Fuller

Do you remember a time when learning how the world worked was fascinating? Many of us lose that sense of wonder, even if we regain it later. But fading interest in all things science isn’t the inevitable progression of childhood! You can help your Mighty Girl maintain her love of science with a little time, effort, and some great science toys.

In this blog, we highlight a few of our favorite toys for different age groups that promote an interest in science, technology, engineering, and the natural world. You can also visit our entire selection of nearly 300 empowering STEM-oriented toys in our science / technology toy section. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communication Specialist

If realism-based graphic novels amplify and deepen a story grounded in the real world, guess what an author and illustrator can do with a tale of pure fantasy! For young readers, it can be revolutionary to see new worlds, born entirely of someone's imagination, come to life on the page. A good combination of story and artwork can make almost anything seem real and who doesn't love the feeling of being absorbed in a good book?

With that in mind, the second blog post in our graphic novel series features books for children that are set in worlds of fantasy. Whether these stories make just a small tweak to an otherwise realistic setting — like adding friendly robots, escaped doodles, or alligators that really do live in the sewers — or create a completely new world to explore, these books will open kids' minds to the incredible possibilities inherent in storytelling. They might just be inspiring to come up with an amazing new world themselves!

For recommendations of graphic novels that are grounded in real life, check out the first post in our blog series, Life in Pictures: Mighty Girl Graphic Novels for Young Readers about Real Life. You also can browse our entire collection of over 100 graphic novels starring girls and women on a wide variety of themes in our special feature on the Top Graphic Novels Starring Mighty Girls. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

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 really spooky stories! So that you can stock your bookshelf with some great Mighty Girl books to enjoy this Halloween, we’ve highlighted a few of our seasonal favorites.

To see even more, as well as films for a Halloween movie night, check out our special feature on the Top Halloween Mighty Girl Books and Films. And, if you're on the lookout for a costume for your Mighty Girl, check out our girl-empowering Halloween Costume Guide.

Good Witches: Mighty Girl Witch Stories

Not all witches fit the wicked mold — after all, historically, many witches were wise women and healers who ended up on the wrong side of the established political order. Many of the books in our Halloween collection feature witch characters that show off the best of what a witch can be: brave, curious, adventurous, and determined to protect people with every trick she knows. They are a great way to get your child thinking beyond the witchy stereotype!

The main character in A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Henry Bliss (age 3 - 6) is a curious witch who’s heard lots about scary humans and their Halloween holiday, but never seen any of it... until one Halloween when she finally gets to meet a human girl and realizes that they’re not so scary after all! McGhee tells her story completely in dialogue balloons, making it a fun read — and perfect for a young Mighty Girl who’s slightly nervous about this spooky holiday! Continue reading → Continue reading