Raising strong girls and unbiased boys

This week, Angie has devoted her nook to raising strong girls and unbiased boys – lots of excellent book suggestions. I consider Angie to be an expert in the area of raising unbiased and caring boys – her sons are two of the kindest and emotionally intelligent young men I have ever met. She is an excellent resource in this area if you have any questions.

The Reading Nook this week covers books about STRONG Women in celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History month.  There are many books to choose from making it difficult to decide what to add to the list. I encourage you to share your favorites with me for my future nooks.  It is essential that we read these books to both our girls and our boys to educate them on all levels of women’s rights. We need our girls to feel empowered and our children to know such things as consent.  When I read about, watch, and listen to such topics in our home where we’re raising two boys, we have conversations about what it means to be an upstanding community member. We discuss what it looks like to treat girls and all people with respect and kindness.  I feel I must raise my boys with awareness, to be conscientious, kind, and compassionate so that I send them into the greater world as boys, and later men, who treat girls and women with dignity and respect.

Happy Reading,

Ms. Maxson-DeFeyter

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch is a favorite of mine.  He takes the classic princess features and turns them upside down to deliver a confident, strong, smart, princess who saves an ungrateful prince in the process.  This book is a fantastic read-aloud story.

For the Right to Learn:  Malala Yousatzai’s Story by Rebecca Langston-George shows Malala’s bravery as she refused to be silent.  She defied the Taliban’s rules and spoke out for education for every girl, and she changed the world.

Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T. Parker celebrates girls being fearless, silly, wild, stubborn, and proud through 175 photographs.  It encourages girls to be 100% themselves.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison is a New York Times Instant Best Seller, written for all ages it inspires and educates as it relates true stories of forty black women in American History.  (Recommended by a 5th-grade student in Mr. Brennen’s class.)

Little Dreamers:  Visionary Women Around the World also by Vashti Harrison features true stories of forty female creators, ranging from writers to inventors, artists to scientists, educates and inspires young girls.

She Persisted:  13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Gingsberg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy

“Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg—in the first picture book about her life—as she proves that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable!” Goodreads

What is the Women’s Rights Movement?  This book covers Girl Power from the 1960s which pushed women’s rights to the women’s march that took place all across the US in 2017

Sharing a second time in case you missed them: Reading resources for parents on raising strong women and unbiased boys.

A Mighty Girl  blog

25 Parenting Books About Raising Mighty Girls They have recommended exceptional books on how to navigate raising strong girls into confident women.

Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein

New Moon Girls a website for supporting girls to be themselves and connect with other girls being themselves.  The New Moon Girls has a magazine published for girls six times a year.

See Jane Do Founder, Elisa Parker, a parent at NCSA

For story books you can read to your boys and girls, please check out this link with book recommendations and some provoking questions to ask your kids as you read them together! It’s Child’s Play  This site includes one of my favorites, The Paper Bag Princess.