Feminist children’s books

[SugarOrSweetenerWithTheTea]

Can I have some recommendations of books for my 5 year old? (For me to read to her)
Apparently goodnight stories for rebel girls has a boy in it. Daring to use the girls toilets

Agree about Katie Morag, love the two grannies as well, in that one is super outdoorsy and fixes boats and tractors, but the other one is super feminine and 'girly' for want of a better way of putting it - both options are fine. Like it is okay for girls (and boys!) to be super into hair and clothes and shoes AND be neurologists/CEOs/whatever).

Izzy Gizmo the girl who loved to invent is all my dd will read at the moment. Also there's a new izzy Gizmo just come out.

Wordery is a great online bookshop OP, same prices as Amazon but they pay taxes and treat their employees better.

My 6 year old is loving listening to the 'clan' series by Rennie McCowan for bedtime. I have to also say the writing is bloody awful, repetitive and I have to edit as I read, but the stories are quite good, and Claire is the lead of a small gang of adventurers - I htink my daughter's inspired by her.

I'm just doing a big book order, and have added a Thora book by Gillian Johnson and some Lily Quench books.

Katie Morag's brilliant, we love them. And yes, Shirley Hughes.

My 10 year old son loves Ruby Redfort.

I wanted to just say, though, that I don't think I especially look for 'feminist' books, just books in which female characters are human beings with interests, conflict, courage, flaws, intelligence, etc who like to do more interesting things than simper over pretty things and their fwends.

Bit depressing that that isn't the standard, really.

I loved this when I was a kid and have bought copies for kids I have nannied, 'Thatoneoverthere why have you bought books for my sons from the feminist press' may have been heard.
Stories from all over the world and great for bed time, good transition to big books I found.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/269901.Tatterhood_and_Other_Tales

the updated copy
www.amazon.co.uk/Tatterhood-Feminist-Folktales-Around-World-ebook/dp/B01GNC7YFC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&s=digital-text&keywords=Tatterhood%3A+Feminist+Folktales+from+Around+the+World&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1588802930&sr=1-1

Pippi longstocking is fascinatin for younger children because she lives so independently. Lotta is another book from Astrid Lindgren, about an interesting younger girl child character (3 or 4yo?) narrated by her older sister. (A bit like My Naughty little sister)
Also age-appropriate factual kids books about bodies and feelings have been good for starting up basic conversations about privacy and consent, bodies and stereotypes of behaviour, and have helped some kids to begin to articulate around those types of concepts. I think that can help to start off some feminist thoughts..

'I wanted to just say, though, that I don't think I especially look for 'feminist' books, just books in which female characters are human beings with interests, conflict, courage, flaws, intelligence, etc who like to do more interesting things than simper over pretty things and their fwends. '

Yes, yes. Absolutely this.

For later on:
The Swallows and Amazons series (read all 12 with my older boys and looking forward to reading them with my 4yo dd)
The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler
Harriet the Spy (miraculous for its time - wonderful sympathetic treatment of a very flawed heroine)
Dot and Anton by Erich Kästner - less well-known than Emil and the Detectives but just as beautifully written (hope the translation is good) and with a heroine who really knows her own mind

any of E Nesbit's stories. Especially the Railway Children

Girls can do Anything! is a fabulous book for 4-5 year olds. I’ve bought it half a dozen times for birthday presents.

Pippi Longstocking is the business. Lindgren must know exactly how kids' minds work, because mine were HOWLING with laughter at this book, and I wouldn't have thought they'd be that into it.

There are also the 'great women in history' books. They're good fun.

I'll look up Harriet the Spy and Emil & the detectives, ta for recs.

Hated Turbulant term of Tyke Tyler. have to say. (But each to their own.) It din,t strike me as being a positive role model. (or negative it just was.)

Brilliant, thank you, I’ve just added all these to my wish list. Lots of fantastic suggestions. I’ll check out wordery.

I wanted to just say, though, that I don't think I especially look for 'feminist' books, just books in which female characters are human beings with interests, conflict, courage, flaws, intelligence, etc who like to do more interesting things than simper over pretty things and their fwends.

Bit depressing that that isn't the standard, really.

Absolutely. Unfortunately books like this seem few and far between. It’s a real issue that ought to be addressed really!

Tamora Pierce has two fantasy series that might be good for when they are a bit older (preteen) about girls becoming knights. Deals with things like periods in a matter of fact way which i liked when younger too. Would go for the lioness and the protector of the small series