By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

When you’re looking for a gift for a book lover, the natural choice is a good book! There’s nothing more exciting for an avid reader than unwrapping a title they have been dying to read — or discovering an exciting new book they haven't heard of yet.

2015 has been a great year for Mighty Girl book releases so to help you find just the right book to wrap up this holiday, we're sharing fifty of our favorite girl-empowering titles that were released this year. From gorgeously-illustrated picture books to thought-provoking teen fiction, these titles will delight, intrigue, educate, and inspire girls and boys alike!

This post also provides a sneak peek at our upcoming 2015 Mighty Girl Year in Review series, which we’ll be releasing at the end of the year. Of course, you can also find many more reading recommendations in our entire collection of nearly 2,500 Mighty Girl books for all ages. 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

While many people think of graphic novels as "just comic books", the truth is that a good graphic novel doesn't simplify a story: instead, it amplifies it, drawing out details and adding emotional weight. For young or reluctant readers, in particular, a graphic novel format makes it easier to understand more complex stories. In fact, we'd argue that high-quality graphic novels are a key part of any library!

With that in mind, we're showcasing a selection of high quality graphic novels starring Mighty Girls — and since there are so many good titles out there, we are sharing them in a series, not a single post! In this blog post, we're featuring graphic novels for children that are grounded in real life. While some of these titles are non-fiction and explore moments in history or role models of the past, others are fictional stories that capture what it's like to be a girl growing up in today's world. No matter which one you choose, young readers will see that there are plenty of amazing stories within the everyday world.

And stay tuned for future blog posts, where we'll share graphic novels for young readers that are set in fantasy worlds, as well as more challenging graphic novel titles suitable for teens! In the meantime, you can browse our entire collection of over 100 graphic novels starring girls and women in our special feature on the Top Graphic Novels Starring Mighty Girls. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

Do you remember having your period for the first time? Were you relieved, scared, confused? Did you know what was happening, or were you told after the fact? Did you think you could bleed to death or make people sick, or believe that you couldn’t swim or go to gym class? Did you hear someone make joking references to women being “on the rag” and think, “I’ll die of embarrassment if anyone knows?” Did you feel like you were prepared?

In a world that is increasingly public about all sorts of previously private topics, menstruation is still a taboo subject. What information girls do hear around them is often negative or incorrect, and even school health classes that discuss the subject often focus on the “nuts and bolts” without ever touching on the real, practical experience of a monthly cycle. As a result menarche — a girl’s first period — is still likely to be disconcerting for her.

But parents, mentors, and friends of Mighty Girls can turn this milestone of womanhood into a much more positive experience. By providing lots of accurate information, real-life experience, and practical advice, girls can learn to view their menstrual cycle in a totally different way: as an important element of their female nature and as a key sign of coming adulthood. In this blog, we’ll help you turn a girl’s first period into an empowering experience. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

In 2015, who knows what your Mighty Girl will do? A new year is full of possibility, prompting many of us to start dreaming about what new things we’ll do over the next twelve months. To help inspire your Mighty Girl, we’re sharing some of our favorite books about Mighty Girls who take a deep breath and leap with both feet into new experiences!

Of course, trying new things can be intimidating, and making your new dreams into reality takes persistence and planning. These books will remind your Mighty Girl that, even if it takes courage, time, and hard work, her dreams are always worth striving for!

And, if you're looking for more stories to help bolster your Mighty Girl's confidence to chase her dreams in the year ahead, check out our blog posts on 15 Self-Esteem Boosting Books for Mighty Girls and Confidence-Building Books for Mighty Girls. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

August and September are big months for new children's book releases --- which means there are lots of newly published titles starring Mighty Girls! From terrific new picture books to engrossing teen fiction, there have been some excellent books hitting the shelves in the last two months. To help you learn about the standouts and to whet your appetite for the release of our special feature on the best Mighty Girl books of 2014 at the end of the year, we’re sharing a few of our favorite new releases. Whether your Mighty Girl is 3 or 13, we’re sure you’ll find something she’ll love!

If you'd like to learn more about any of the books featured in our post, just click the title of the book to open its A Mighty Girl page. There, you can read reviews, learn about related books, and order your favorites for your kids.

To check out our previous round-ups of Mighty Girl book releases, check out our special features: 2012 Year In Review and 2013 Year In Review.

Be Patient, Pandora by Joan Holub, illustrated by Leslie Patricelli (age 1 - 4)

“Do not open the box, Pandora!” warns Pandora’s mother, so she doesn’t...but she does touch it, lean on it, sit on it, even jump on it! Unsurprisingly, the box soon flies open, ruining the big batch of cupcakes hidden inside. Fortunately for Pandora, one little cupcake, representing Hope, is still in the box for her and her mother to share. This simple adaptation of the myth of Pandora’s Box, part of the new Mini Myths series, features simple, fun text and hilarious illustrations.

Ladybug Girl and the Dress-Up Dilemma by Jacky Davis, illustrated by David Soman (age 3 - 5)

Ladybug Girl is back, and Lulu has a big decision to make — what to be for Halloween! She tries on lots of different costumes, but none of them seems quite right. She hopes for inspiration as her family goes pumpkin picking and takes a hayride, and she finds it in the form of a little girl who needs a helping hand. Maybe the perfect costume has been right under her nose the whole time! Fans of Ladybug Girl will love this book about being true to yourself. 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

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

Welcome to the next installment of our blog series, Mighty Careers! In this series, we celebrate careers that your Mighty Girl may be dreaming of pursuing one day. In each blog, we’ll profile a career role model and provide recommendations for books, toys, clothing, and even room decor to help inspire your Mighty Girl. Whether she’s three or thirteen, there will be resources to help her learn more about her dream job, imagine herself living it, and let the world know what she hopes to be when she grows up.

In this blog, we’ll be showcasing a career that can take your Mighty Girl deep into a jungle or to the bottom of a reef: wildlife biologist! Most kids love animals, but for some, seeing them in pictures or in a zoo isn’t enough. Instead, they want to watch them in the wild, living in their natural environment. But despite the prominent women who have made great strides in primatology, marine biology, and other fields, it can still be hard to find good resources featuring female characters.

In this post, we’ve collected a variety of different books featuring female wildlife biologists, as well as toys, clothing, and room decor to encourage and celebrate her love of animals. Whether she’s crazy for manatees or giraffes, lions or chimpanzees, you’ll find some great options here!

To find the first post from our new series, check out our post, Mighty Careers: I Want To Be An Astronaut. Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

Welcome to our new blog series, Mighty Careers! In this series, we’re going to celebrate careers that your Mighty Girl may be dreaming of pursuing one day. In each blog, we’ll profile a career role model and provide recommendations for books, toys, clothing, and even room decor to help inspire your Mighty Girl in her aspirations. Whether she’s three or thirteen, there will be resources to help her learn more about her dream job, imagine herself living it, and let the world know what she hopes to be when she grows up.

In the first blog post of the series, we’re focusing on a career field that is popular with many Mighty Girls: astronaut! There’s something about space that captivates many kids, but it's often difficult to find resources that feature girls and women as astronauts.

To make it easier, we've pulled together a series of great fictional books and biographies about female astronauts and space scientists. We've also included recommendations for great pretend play or learning toys to foster her interest in space and astronomy. And, of course, since no space-crazy Mighty Girl’s wardrobe would be complete without a nod or two to her love of the stars, we've also sought out a collection of space-themed clothing.

So take a look at what’s out there to help your Mighty Girl’s dream of space grow! Even if a career in space isn’t in her future, she’ll always remember that you encouraged her to reach for the stars.

For more ways to encourage your Mighty Girl to aim high, check out the other entries in our Mighty Careers series.
Continue reading → Continue reading

By Katherine Handcock, A Mighty Girl Communications Specialist

A few days ago, we announced the release of our special feature on the top 2013 Mighty Girl Books with a blog post featuring our favorite 2013 releases for younger readers. In today's post, we're showcasing twenty of the fantastic girl-empowering tween and teen books released this past year!

Our selection features new authors as well as returning ones, and both stand-alone books and volumes of some of our top Mighty Girl series. No matter what your Mighty Girl enjoys reading, she’ll find something to intrigue her here!

Of course, this is just a small sample of the many wonderful books released in 2013. Narrowing down our favorites was truly tricky, so you're sure to discover more great titles in our complete 2013 Mighty Girl Books.

And, if you'd like to discover more recent releases starring Mighty Girls, check out our round-up of the top Mighty Girl stories from last year in our special feature on the 2012 Mighty Girl Books: A Year in Review.

Continue reading → Continue reading