better role model than Elsa...

[bytheby]

Hi, I haven't watched lots of films with my 4 year old but can anyone recommend films (and books but we have less of a gap there) with a female lead that isn't ridiculously beautiful.

Ideally a character that loves to read!

I was excited about Encanto but rather than wanting to be the lead (Mirabel?) she wants to be the more conventionally beautiful sister Isabella!

I am sure it is just a phase and I am not overly worried but would like to stick her in front of some things that are a bit less princessy as she is more concerned with appearances than I would like.

I know that Elsa etc does have some good features it is just my DD's pre-occupation with beauty that is making me want to make sure there are some more normal/realistic looking people in the mix too.

Or should I just 'let it go?'

You could try the film ugly dolls. It's got a lovely message around beauty being from your character not necessarily looks. I watched it recently with my daughter I think it was on Netflix.

Beauty and the Beast....Belle is reading all the time, the whole message is that appearance isn't what matters, it's seeing what is inside that counts

She is 4 and its fine for her to be distracted by glittery pretty things its honestly fine the Sister in Encanto wasn't particularly happy was she ?

Moana is a great film

Moana is awesome. The lead is pretty (it is a Dsiney movie, obvs), but not girly girly, and doesn't wear traditional sparkly princess dresses.

Brave is good also.

Lilo and Stich is another one

Or Bluey? Cartoon dogs so no beauty element and really sweet issues small kids really relate to. Moral in every episode but not pushy.

Princess and the frog.

Or just stick to the none princess films.
Wreck it Ralph
Cars
Memo

Moana and Brave are really good

Moana songs are brilliant - your welcome... (you'll get it when you watch the film).

Lilo and Stitch is good but a bit old for a 4yr old.

Shrek (the older jokes go over little kids' heads)

Wreck it Ralph - Vanellope von Schweetz

Pocahontas, Mulan. Esmeralda is pretty cool in the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Bluey is great for kids and parents! I am obsessed with bluey!

I was going to say Matilda would be perfect but actually that's probably a bit too scary for a 4yr old.
A good one for a couple of years time though.

I love Moana. I was having a bit of a breakdown/depressive episode when I saw it and the scene where she faces the monster at the end made me bawl my eyes out.

I also like Moana because it shows that you can be a hero and save the day by being kind and understanding, not just through physical strength and fighting.

At the end of the day, your child will like who they like. You can't control who their favourite is. Especially not at 4!

Moana is brilliant

The morale to Isabella is that everyone thinks her life is perfect as she's beautiful, but actually she just wants to be creative and powerful in her own way, so I don't think that's a bad message at all - beauty isn't everything.
I love Brave too!

Moana - very cool

Brave - our all time fav

Cinderella is actually great I think and is less about the prince saving her than about her surving abuse, never loosing sight of who she is. Great stength of character.

@rbe78

Shrek (the older jokes go over little kids' heads)

Came to say Shrek! You can see how much I love it from my username 😂

We love Brave its a great film.

@rbe78

Shrek (the older jokes go over little kids' heads)

Watched this with my DD when she was about 4, and she complained bitterly about Princess Fiona not being pretty anymore!

But she's 10 now, and couldn't give a stuff about appearances - her own or anyone else's.

Have you seen any of the Studio Ghibli films? Most of their films have strong ‘normal looking’ girl leads. Ponyo and My Neighbour Totoro would be age appropriate (not all of them are), and probably Arrietty too.

Moana for sure. It is brilliant on so many levels.
As an aside I also love Wall-e - but I think 4 is a bit young to get it.

Moana. My 3 year old loves it.

Good suggestions! I’m similarly struggling to find films for 3-4 year olds where I don’t have to explain that the main male character was originally ‘naughty’ (an arsehole) but by the end of the film is nice It’s so rare for the female characters to make that transformation (maybe Lilo excepted) and I don’t want my DC thinking that all arsehole men are really nice underneath.

@Henryscup

I love Moana. I was having a bit of a breakdown/depressive episode when I saw it and the scene where she faces the monster at the end made me bawl my eyes out.

I also like Moana because it shows that you can be a hero and save the day by being kind and understanding, not just through physical strength and fighting.

At the end of the day, your child will like who they like. You can't control who their favourite is. Especially not at 4!

You aren't the only one, I watched it a lot with my kids the summer before my gran died and then not long after as well, all the bits with her gran had me in floods of tears and then when she faces te ka (sp?) near the end it set me off too!

It's a brilliant film, probably my favourite Disney film.