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?'

What about Kiki's Delivery Service?

Kiki is a young teenage witch with a talking cat. She moves to a new town and sets up her own flying delivery service. She feels shy because she looks different to the popular girls. But then does something very brave and is a hero ☺️

Shrek. Fiona is amazing.
Moana I love for the fact she's not stick thin.

@ChocolateButtonsOfShame

What about Kiki's Delivery Service?

Kiki is a young teenage witch with a talking cat. She moves to a new town and sets up her own flying delivery service. She feels shy because she looks different to the popular girls. But then does something very brave and is a hero ☺️

Ooh yes, forgot about Kiki!

Moana! I love that film and it often makes me cry when it’s on.

Tbf, I don’t think Elsa is overly attractive. She’s a good role model too really so I wouldn’t be overly concerned if my daughter idolised her.

Moana and Brave.

"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 had a similar experience with Luisa's song, Surface Pressure, in Encanto. We watched it on Christmas Eve as a family - following months of DH struggling with his mental health, both DM and MIL with their physical health, and DD with her autism, and DS with anxiety issues, and everyone was depending on me to look after them, and manage everything domestically, and make sure Christmas was amazing, and stay positive and cheerful and fun for them...

I listened to that song and had to make an excuse to leave the room to have a good cry. It just summed up perfectly how I was feeling.

Yes to Studio Ghibli films
Vivo has a very fun, unconventional female main character, my girls are fully obsessed with her "my own drum" song!

Oooh yes, love Vivo and love My Own Drum. It's my DD to a T.

Moana
Brave

But the best one is Judy from Zootrpolis!! I love her character

Wreck It Ralph made me sob - the sad little glitch all alone in her desolate place, then when he wrecks the car barely made it through that one

I though Encanto was a bit pants, I was vaguely expecting it to be about how it's okay to pull away, live your own lives in your own homes and not just put up with toxic family expectations, be your own person by the end - but they're all back in that house with all the same old expectations on them. I did like the surface pressure song though, it felt like the most meaningful bit of the film.

Yup, I’d suggest Studio Ghibli too: ponyo and my neighbour totoro are the best start point and my two loved them at that age (and still do as teenagers) . Brave adventurous female leads throughout, lots of magic and a bit of weirdness; and beautiful animation. And very much about childhood too.

I was going to suggest wreck it ralph or Shrek too

Ice age?

My Neighbour Totoro

Howl's Moving Castle

Ponyo

Roz from Monster’s Inc’?
Sort of joking but, although the characters of Moana, Merida, Mulan, Pocahontas and even Fiona are all strong, brave, and good role models, they’re all still made to look pretty aren’t they? And whilst, obviously, beautiful woman can still be all of those in real life, the message to a four year old might be something other than that IYSWIM.

Oh yes and

Arrietty

Kilo's Delivery Service

Kiki's*

It may just be innate, OP. I'm sure I read that it's been proven that even babies react more positively to beautiful people. Symmetrical features (what we see as beauty) is supposed to be a sign of good genetics.

Moana is great, but Brave is IMO a bit too scary and complex for a 4 y o (the bad mum thing is a bit too much for that age).

I’d suggest getting your DD to watch some of the excellent series on CBBC like Sarah & Duck or Bitz & Bob - the animated female leads are quirky and clever rather than beautiful. There’s plenty of great animated TV series out there for small DC, from Octonauts to Hilda; and they’re often better produced and more fun than Disney films (much as I like Encanto etc.)

Moana and Lilo are both great characters.

As a PP said, research shows that babies and children are more attracted to beautiful people. Beautiful faces are more symmetrical, therefore they are easier for the brain to perceive and remember. Our brains naturally look for patterns, and symmetrical faces have more patterns. Our preference for attractive people doesn't develop over time, it is innate and hardwired from birth. Babies aren't aware of social boundaries so they act on impulse and aren't shy to show their admiration.

A lot of people are suggesting Moana, but I personally think she is much prettier than Elsa!

Tangled, (apart from the fact she marries a previous criminal!)

Also came to say Moana.
Avoid Little Mermaid like plague for crap female role model.
Avoid Descendants for weird sexualisation.
Dora the Explorer film is good.

What about some of the Studio Ghibli films? Some of the plots might be a bit tricky for a 4 year old but Kiki’s Deliver Service, Princess Monoke, Sprited Away and My Neighbour Totoro all have female leads that aren’t pretty princess types.

Agree with pp. Not saying Moana for lack of beauty but for lack of it mattering a jot or being anything to do with the story ie. snagging a man.