Children's Books about Smart, Brave Girls

3/5/09 - By Anna Fader

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The New York Public Library has put out a list of recommended children's books for Women's History Month. I guess that would be March.  I love books that feature clever, brave heroines any time of year.

Check out their list and here are some of my all time favorite books about cool girls:

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200903042352.jpgAbuela (English Edition with Spanish Phrases)
Grandmother shares her memories and Spanish words as she flies over Manhattan with her granddaughter. (Also available in Spanish)

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer
How one woman wore the pants and helped get the vote for women.

200903042355.jpgLon Po Po
A Red-Riding Hood Story from China

Sheila Rae, the Brave
Another lovable, spunky Kevin Henkes character who gets lost on the way to school.

200903050000.jpgAmazing Grace
A little girl dreams of beccoming the first black ballet dancer.

Brave Irene
William Steig tale about a girl who must deliver a dress to the duchess through great odds.

 

200903050001.jpgThe Gardener
The Great Depressions, the big city and a girl who loves gardening. How timely.

Ella Enchanted
A girl must overcome her "curse" of obedience.

 

200903050002.jpgIgraine The Brave
Cornelia Funke hits it with this funny tale about a girl knight.

Matilda
Ah, Roald Dahl creates our favorite little witch. To be read and reread.

 

Go to the NYPL for their full list of books for Women's History Month.

 

About the Author

Anna Fader

Founder of Mommy Poppins

A fourth-generation Brooklynite, Anna started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to help families find the best things to do with kids in NYC, with a particular emphasis on sharing activities that are free, affordable, and enriching. The site, used by millions of families, has grown to become the ultimate resource for parents in the major US cities, plus travel guides for 100s of destinations.

Anna is a believer in the magic of summer camps, traveling with kids, and that you can raise kids on a budget and still have a rich life full of amazing memories. Anna's first Mommy Poppins book, The Young Traveler's Journal and Activity Book, published in 2025 and co-written with her daughter, Amelia Eigerman, brings that ethos to life, in addition to this website.