Following the popularity of our original post suggesting books for Key Stage 2 pupils which have confident, strong females as their protagonists, we have compiled the following list for Key Stage 1!
This list aims to challenge conventional stereotypes in intelligent and sharp-witted ways and aims to make all pupils feel like they can be confident to be who they want to be. I hope your pupils enjoy them as much as we did.
As always, if you have any more suggestions or even planning for any of these books, please comment and share!
Not All Princesses Dress in Pink
Age: 3+
Not All Princesses Dress in Pink teaches the message that not all girls have to play with dolls and wear pink dresses – they can jump in mud puddles in their overalls, climb trees and play sports.
Violet the Pilot
Age: 3+
Violet the Pilot’s homemade flying machine takes her to the rescue of a Boy Scout troop in trouble.
Madeline
Age: 3+
Madeline might be small but she’s tough and brave – showing young readers that the difference between the sexes isn’t that great.
Every-Day Dress-Up
Age: 3+
Children love playing dress up, but the girl in Every-Day Dress-Up ditches her princess get-up in favour of costumes inspired by great women in history from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to queen of jazz Ella Fitzgerald.
The Paperbag Princess
Age: 4+
The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch reverses the typical fairytale stereotype – so instead it’s the go-getting princess who rescues the prince from the dragon in this definitively feminist storybook originally published in 1980.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Age: 4+
Rosie Revere, Engineer dreams of becoming – you guessed it – a great engineer. She makes amazing inventions but keeps them a secret until her great-great-great aunt Rosie helps her understand that sometimes you’ve got to risk failure before you can find success. Teaches little girls all about following their dreams – no matter how unlikely they seem.
Me…Jane
Age: 4+
As a renowned humanitarian, conservationist and animal activist, Dr. Jane Goodall is one of the world’s most inspiring women. In Me…Jane Patrick McDonnell tells the real story of a young Jane and her childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee – making her incredible story accessible for children.