[Monday Reading] Empower Young Girls with “Dress Like a Girl” and “Like a Girl”

Fats here.

It’s Monday, What are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers (new host of Monday reading: Kathryn T at Book Date). Since two of our friends, Linda from Teacher Dance and Tara from A Teaching Life have been joining this meme for quite awhile now, we thought of joining this warm and inviting community.

Today’s post features two picture books that are perfect for empowering young girls. Both titles were published this year.

Dress Like a Girl

Written by Patricia Toht
Illustrated by Lorian Tu-Dean
Published by Harper (2019)
ISBN-13: 9780062798923

Buy Dress Like a Girl on Amazon | Book Depository

In Dress Like a Girl, a group of young girls get together for a slumber party that transforms into a fashion show of sort! The girls ask themselves, “what’s the right way to ‘dress like a girl?'” Can you wear a space suit during the summertime? What about a firefighter’s bright red outfit, or a police officer’s vibrant blue uniform? Are jerseys and helmets perfect for game day? The best takeaway from these adorable cast of characters is that you dress to “express your true self.” If you can’t find what you like, then create something new! Something that makes you feel like you!

“What you think determines which outfit’s okay. Don’t judge your appearance by what others say.

– Patricia Toht, Dress Like a Girl

Like a Girl

Written by Lori Degman
Illustrated by Mara Penny
Published by Sterling Children’s Books (2019)
ISBN-13: 9781454933021

Buy Like a Girl on Amazon | Book Depository

In the book, it was noted that author Lori Degman has always been bothered when people say, “you _______ like a girl,” when it’s meant in a negative way. In writing Like a Girl, Lori hopes that young girls will be inspired by the amazing women included in the book. The book celebrates notable women in history such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Tammy Duckworth, Simone Biles, Temple Grandin, and Frida Kahlo, to name a few. This is a great book to encourage young girls to learn more about these women and also about themselves and what they could contribute to the world.

Soar like a girl, with your eyes on the sky.
Soar like a girl; let your free spirit fly.

– Lori Degman, Like a Girl

Currently Reading…

I’m reading this on my Kindle Paperwhite. I started this book on the plane going back to Ohio. It’s a long book. I am nearly halfway through, I think.

My new gig: I joined the library’s Fantasy Fiction Fanatics Book Club. This is our first book and we are having our discussion on November 5th. I only made it to Chapter 6 four days ago and have not made any progress since. Oops! I guess I have some catching up to do this coming weekend!