Books for Girls

Right now there is a video on facebook that shows a mom and daughter removing books from bookshelves that doesn’t fit into a certain criteria.  This means any book that doesn’t feature a girl as the protagonist.  The point behind this was these two women behind the video thought that a book about women like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other women who have made a place in the world is the answer to this.  Yes, these are stories about amazing women, but it isn’t the answer
I agree there needs to be more books regarding female protagonist, but a book based on real women isn’t the answer.  Children need to have books that challenge their imaginations and places them in amazing places and situations.
Yes, they need to know that women can do or be anything that’s within their abilities.  I add that last because, no we can’t be anything we want sometimes.  I have a granddaughter that the odds of her being a basket ball player are pretty much nil.  She will be lucky to top out at four foot ten.  This unfortunately will close certain doors for her.  She’s eight and right now she wants to be an optometrist, there is a reason for this now, but I think this will pass in time.
The important thing is to give them something that allows them to dream and look forward to the future with an open mind and plant seeds in their imaginations that help them to find all the places they can go.
I wrote a story for her about a little princess, all books about princesses were removed from the shelves as well.   It’s about a little princess who gets to pick her own mom.  For over four years now she has known only one mother and that’s my daughter.  This little angel, who is a little tank, came with her dad when he met my daughter.  Not literally but you get what I mean I think.  She and her dad were a package deal.  That’s what the story was about.  A mom doesn’t have to be the one who gives birth to you but someone who loves you and is willing to be there when you need her.
Yes, there will be a lot of doors closed to this little one because of her size but one door that could be opened is that one that leads into the oval office one day.   Her hero right now however is ‘The Flash.’  Go figure.  What road will she walk down?  I don’t know.  I do know that she has someone in her life who will do everything she can to see to it that this little girl will have every door possible opened to her.
I will tell you this, whatever door that little girl decides to open one day, don’t be standing in her way.  I wasn’t kidding when I said she is a little tank.  She absolutely amazes me.