Good books for little ones from a feminist perspective

[duchesse]

I wanted to start a list of the gems that people have found. I think that the first years are very important in a child's life when they're forming their world view.

My personal favourite is
Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave

Lovely little story about an older lady and her dog, surfing. Mrs Armitage has grey hair, an active lifestyle, buys what she wants, when she wants it. She is brave and inventive and adventure-seeking.

Sorry, forgot to say, it's by Quentin Blake and the illustrations are glorious as well, as you'd expect.

I like reading Pippy Longstocking to dd.

Also love Mole and the Baby Bird, about a mole who keeps a baby bird but then releases it 'because he loved it and then he cried'.

We also have a story about a Princess who rescues herself! May be calle dthe Princess and the Wizard.

The paperbag princess is fab. About a princess who has to rescue a prince from a dragon and turns him down at the end of the book. here

For others with DDs who have fallen for the princess crap, as well as Paperbag Princess other good ones are Zog and Princess Smartypants.

Also we love Winnie the Witch - I mean, she even has hairy legs, she must be a proper radfem

Ds1 likes "The Worst Witch".

Kim Ann and the Yellow Machine, which comes home in (Year 2) DS' book bag now and again. It's a bit 1980s-worthy but at the same time there's no harm done. It's the story of a little girl who loves machines, diggers, vehicles etc, but the boys won't let her play with them until the road menders come and dig up the road and she is the one who makes friends with the drivers because she knows more about engines than anyone else.