A child’s brain is called a blank slate by many. While this statement is partly true, it reflects what child development refers to as the effects of “nurture.” Compared to nurture, nature also plays a major role in shaping a child’s personality and is all about the biological set of characteristics a child receives from his family. 

While we can only do so much about nature, we can surely provide a clear and unbiased world’s image to the child so that there are no boundaries for his abilities. What could be better than books introducing the children to the world and its affairs?

A Lack of Unbiased Books

Even in the current era, there are a plethora of children’s books that paint a biased and discriminating picture on the children’s minds. These books lack women’s main characters, and even if some have them, they are only bound by gender stereotypes and conforming to the age-old gender-specific moral stories. 

It is high time to challenge what the world used to think about women as they are most capable of flying into space, becoming unbeatable mathematicians, adopting art as their mode of communication, and even inventing things nobody ever thought of!

Best Children’s Books Highlighting Strong Female Characters

Here is a list of books for children that you would strongly recommend to anyone ready to shape the upcoming generation without the stereotypes regarding strong female leads. These books are based on strong female characters who shape up their fate and destination. There is no stopping you when you are passionate about something and set your heart and mind to it. 

To know about more books, you can explore our children’s books section as well. 

1. From the Desk of Zoe Washington

In this book, a girl named Zoe dedicates her summers to a bakery where she is struggling to prove herself worthy enough to be on a national kid’s baking challenge. After receiving a letter from her father on her 12th birthday, she finds her mind elsewhere. Even in the face of strong opposition, Zoe goes on a quest to know the truth. Along the way, she questions her assumptions while also deciding to do what she thinks is right.

2. Mulan

Mulan is one of the best ancient Chinese stories. The book has beautiful illustrations that make it more interesting for young readers. Hua Mulan is the legendary Chinese female warrior and role model who, due to societal pressure, has to prove herself worthy of taking her father’s place in the Chinese army only by disguising herself as a man. 

She defies all the gender-specific boundaries that society unduly puts on women and proves to her father that she can be as brave and heroic as any patriotic man. 

3. Greystone Secrets #1: The Strangers

This book is one of the best-seller series of Greystone Secrets, having Emma Greystone as the main character of the story that portrays a strong image of females among the young readers. Emma is a math whiz in this story. She is the most rational one in three siblings who find themselves in a strange situation. Three kids have been kidnapped, and they have the same first and middle names as the Greystone kids. They even share birthdays with them.

Emma, along with her siblings, follows a couple of puzzling cues that ultimately lead them to hidden rooms, dangerous secrets, complex codes that challenge them in every possible way. 

4. Invisible Emmie

This book is the best you can get for a middle-school child. It has all the drama, life changes, friendships, and school-related problems packed into a story. The quiet and shy Emmie is the one who is an art fanatic while Kate is the popular athletic girl. 

Their lives are opposite from each other until an embarrassing note goes to the wrong person, and everything changes. This story is all about facing the courage to speak up and being brave.   

5. Counting on Katherine

It is based on the true story of an African American woman, Katherine Johnson, who contributed significantly to the triumphant first-ever moon landing. Katherine had been passionate about numbers since she was little. The way she trumped all the discrimination she faced daily and instead worked on her passion is praiseworthy. 

She honed her skills remarkably enough that NASA astronauts only survived through the project because of her.

6. She Shoots, She Scores

It is another remarkable children’s book that challenges the gender-specific stereotype ruining the previous generations. A little girl, passionate about playing football, had to play secretly because this sport was mostly considered a men’s monopoly. 

At 13 years of age, she received international fame and grew up to be a goal-scoring legend in women’s football. She retained the honor of scoring in five women’s football world cups.

7. Positively Izzy

This story is a beautiful entanglement of the lives of two girls struggling to be themselves in school and life in general. Izzy is the funny one. She acts in skits and makes up stories that send everyone in fits of laughter. However, it ultimately affects her attention span, and she cannot focus on her studies. 

Bri is the opposite – she is the brainy one yet yearns for people to see qualities in her other than her report card. Her mother bugs her constantly to be more active in the drama club in school. Bri wishes that her mother leave her alone for once and accept who she is. 

Bri and Izzy’s lives cross on the school talent day for good. The book is filled with drama and resonates with every girl who has struggled to be herself.

8. Living the Confidence Code

It is a compilation of 30 stories of real, confident girls around the globe. It entails true stories of young girls who stood up to the societal pressures, took risks, triumphed through their troubles, followed their passions, and proved themselves worthy of everything they are. These courageous girls are from Bali, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Seattle, and Afghanistan. 

9. Other Words for Home

This story narrates the life of a Syrian girl named Jude, who, along with her pregnant mother, flee from their home country when things become violent there. She moves across the ocean and lands in Cincinnati. Although Jude has left her home behind, she is still recovering from the trauma of being labeled as Middle Eastern. 

Suddenly, her home is now the label given to her but will it hinder her interest in trying out for the school musical? 

10. Lalani of the Distant Sea

Lalani lives on the island of Sanlagita, where the fear about women catching a deadly mender’s disease, spread by needles used to repair fishing nets, is common. There is no way out for the women on this island as they cannot relieve their duties. This repair work bounds them for life, and they cannot get out of this vicious cycle.

But when Lalani Sarita’s mother falls ill and contracts this disease, she instructs Lalani to leave the island and go to the riches of Mount Isa. Getting out is almost impossible for Lalani as the journey entails unknown dangers. However, this is the only way to secure Lalani’s future, and she is determined to do so. 

Conclusion

It is more than necessary to emphasize how women are equally talented, passionate, and brave like men in this age and time. It is an obsolete concept to show women frightened and being afraid of anything. They can be passionate and brave and conquer anything that they set their minds on. Providing books that challenge the generational legacy of stereotypical thinking is very important. Children should know how beautiful it is to pursue their passions, regardless of their gender or age. 

Parents should encourage their children to read books with moral lessons. Good books can help open up their mind to things and make them literary strong. For the best output, you can also design a reading nook for your kids so they can read without getting distracted.