Booklists

You Go, Girl!

Picture books that show girls can do it all!

JE/AITKEN
Aitken, Amy - Ruby the Red Knight
Ruby is a fearless girl with an active imagination. She tames a giant and a dragon with her wit and then releases the forest inhabitants from an evil spell.

JE/CARLSON
Carlson, Nancy - I Like Me!
A young pig describes the many things she likes about herself as well as the activities she enjoys doing. She likes her curly tail, her toes, and her round pig tummy. She likes brushing her teeth, riding her bike and reading... she just plain likes herself, and what a wonderful thing that is!

JE/COONEY
Cooney, Barbara - Miss Rumphius
As a young girl, Miss Rumphius, resolves to travel to faraway places, to live by the sea, and to make the world a more beautiful place. She does travel, live by the sea, and she accomplishes her third goal by planting flower seeds on her land.

JE/DEXTER
Dexter, Alison - Grandma
Grandma is energetic enough to wear out the busiest preschooler... by eight o'clock in the morning Grandma has cleaned the whole house, weeded, baked, dressed for the day and is ready for fun!

JE/ERNST
Ernst, Lisa Campbell - Little Red Riding Hood: A Newfangled Prairie Tale
While this modern Red Riding Hood does get taken in by the wolf, Grandma does not. And she finally tames the wolf once and for all... in a most unexpected way!

JE/GARLAND
Garland, Michael - My Cousin Katie
This very simple picture book follows a day on the farm with Katie. Katie doesn't slay dragons but she does climb a tree, weed a garden and help her father fix the tractor.

JE/HENKES
Henkes, Kevin - Chester's Way
Lilly wears red boots and Band-Aids to make herself look brave. She carries a loaded squirt gun and has many disguises. When she moves into the neighborhood and saves Chester and Wilson from bullies, the three become great friends! You won't want to miss The Baby of the World (JE/HENKES) or Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (JE/HENKES) also by Henkes and also starring Lilly.

JE/HOFFMAN
Hoffman, Mary - Amazing Grace
With the support of her wise and loving mother and grandmother, Grace learns that she can do anything she sets her mind to do... no matter what others may say.

JE/HOOKS
Hooks, William - The Three Little Pigs and the Fox
In this version of the traditional story, the third pig is a female named Hamlet. Hamlet's two older brothers go off to find their way in the world only to be caught by the fox, but Hamlet is brighter and braver than her brothers. She tricks the fox, sends him down river in a churn and sets her brothers free.

JE/ISAACS
Isaacs, Anne - Swamp Angel
Swamp Angel was born "scarcely taller than her mother and couldn't climb a tree without help." She builds her first log cabin at age two and pulls a wagon train from a swamp at age twelve. When a reward is offered for the pelt of a troublesome bear, Swamp Angel is the one who succeeds in wrestling him down.

JE/JACKSON
Jackson, Ellen - Cinder Edna
Though her circumstances are similar to Cinderella's, Cinder Edna has a whole different attitude about life. She is "strong and spunky" and she doesn't need a fairy godmother to get to the ball.

JE/JERAM
Jeram, Anita - Daisy Dare
Brave and daring mouse, Daisy Dare, will try almost anything on a dare... but will she be brave enough to take the bell off the cat's collar?

JE/KELLER
Keller, Holly - Geraldine's Blanket
Geraldine's parents think she should get rid of her special blanket, but Geraldine is stubborn about keeping it. She is a bit sassy, but Geraldine is also clever in her resolution of this conflict.

JE/MARTIN
Martin, C.L.G. - Three Brave Women
Caitlin, Mama, and Grammy are all afraid of spiders. But Caitlin decides to overcome her fear and asks Mama and Grammy to help. They are scared, but the three crawl under the porch and catch a big hairy spider! Caitlin then declares she is going to catch a mouse and dig up some worms...

JE/MAYER
Mayer, Mercer - Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp
With her fast thinking Liza Lou manages to outsmart the swamp haunt, the gobblygook, the witch, and the devil that all live in the Yeller Belly Swamp.

JE/LUENN
Luenn, Nancy - Nessa's Fish
Nessa and her grandmother are ice fishing and Grandmother becomes ill. Nessa wards off a fox, a wolf pack and even a bear to protect her grandmother and their catch of fish until help arrives. Another story about Nessa that you will want to share is Nessa's Story (JE/LUENN).

JE/MINARIK
Minarik, Else Holmelund - The Little Girl and the Dragon
When a dragon gets loose from her picture book and eats all her toys, this little girl demands the dragon return her things and then cleverly keeps him in the book where he belongs!

JE/MUNSCH
Munsch, Robert - The Paper Bag Princess
When a dragon destroys her castle and carries away her beloved prince, Elizabeth sets off to the rescue! She outwits the dragon, only to find Prince Ronald is less than pleased with her sooty, tangled appearance... the heck with him!

JE/SCHWARTZ
Schwartz, Amy - Bea and Mr. Jones
Bea is tired of kindergarten and Mr. Jones is tired of his job, so they trade places. Both are happier and quite successful. Bea is even made president of toy sales!

JE/STEIG
Steig, William - Brave Irene
Irene's mother finishes a beautiful ball gown but is too ill to deliver it to the duchess. But brave and loving Irene volunteers to get the gown to the palace on time, in spite of the snowstorm that is gathering outside.

Prepared by Val Owens, November 1997