Children's Literature @ NYPL

You Go Girl: The Fun and Fearless Female Characters of Children's Fiction by Anna Taylor, Children's Educational Programming CoordinatorMay 13, 2014

They fight dragons. They tame forests. They read grownup books. They're the spunky heroines that make the world of children's stories exciting. In Robert Munsch's picture book The Paper Bag Princess, a princess learns that a girl doesn't need a a knight in shining armor — she needs a paper bag and a bold attitude. Then there's Matilda, the eponymous protagonist of Roald Dahl's classic, who discovers that big problems are no match for a bigger brain. Introduce the kids in your life to The Fun and Fearless Female Characters of Children's Fiction.

A Girl Called Problem by Katie Quirk

But I Am An Alligator by Lauren Child

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Silly Sally by Audrey Wood

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

View all posts by Anna Taylor

Comments

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Hunting Indians

Submitted by Debbie Reese (not verified) on May 14, 2014 - 9:52am

Have you read LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS as an adult? In workshops I do with librarians, I've found that most haven't read the series as adults, and are surprised at how much racism they contain. This is on page 53 in BIG WOODS: "I began to play I was a mighty hunter, stalking the wild animals and the Indians. I played I was fighting the Indians, until all woods seemed full of wild men, and then all at once I heard the birds twittering 'good night.'" Did you know that passage is there? I'm not suggesting you remove the book from the shelves, but do hope you know the totality of what it contains.

Jim West is easily one of the

Submitted by Scott Thompson (not verified) on July 23, 2015 - 6:29am

Jim West is easily one of the best authors of our times. Have you heard of Magicae Mathematica? Best childrens fantasy book of probably this generation.