Strong female heroines have become a recognizable fixture in the literary universe. Katniss Everdeen, Elizabeth Bennet, and Hermione Granger have all been idolized for their roles in bestsellers and constantly remind young readers to dream big and be themselves. The women that star in these books may be radically different, but have been immortalized in their empowering tales.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Though recently returned to the spotlight after its 2019 movie rendition, Little Women originally made a splash in the late 1860s. It tells the tale of the March sisters, who each have defined passions and hostilities. Jo March appears as the leading lady of the story, with her sisters Meg, Amy, and Beth walking through childhood with her. As the girls grow up, they struggle with having differing visions of the world, encountering gender stereotypes, and grappling with family problems. Whether readers choose to pick up the book or flick on the film, the story of these little women can offer a joyous tale to those who find it.
I Am Malala by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafazi
In her tragically redemptive autobiography, Malala Yousafazi explains how she stood up for her education when the Taliban came to her home. She paid the price, however, when they boarded her bus one day and shot her in the head. Instead of dying, as most expected would happen, Yousafazi turned into a living miracle. She survived and rose up from her village in Pakistan to become an international activist for female education, even becoming the youngest to win a Nobel Peace Prize back in 2014. She and her story remain a symbol for young girls and show how much a single voice can matter.
The Cinder Series by Marissa Meyers
Featuring four powerful female heroines, the Cinder series takes conventional fairy tales and slingshots them through time and space. The books take place 126 years after WWIV, and follow Linh Cinder as she teams up with a group of rebels to defeat the moon’s monarch, Lunar Queen Levana. Each installment of the series follows one of Cinder’s companions, who each play the role of a feminine protagonist in a unique and relatable way. Complete with romance and magic, this series will be sure to captivate any of its readers.
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