The Amelia Bloomer Project--connected with the American Library Association, proving yet again that librarians are our everyday superheroes--comes out annually with a list of the latest and greatest feminist books for kids and teens.
Hey, I'm not ashamed to admit that I still love to read "kids'" books, and you shouldn't be either. If Harry Potter proves anything, it's that we're all suckers for a good story, no matter what the packaging may say.
The 2006 young adult honorees include, among others:
Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You, by Dorian Cirrone
"Always passed over for the starring roles due to her non-ballerina-esque physique, 16-year-old Kayla must search her heart about body issues, sexism, and conformity to find her true path."
Singer, by Jean Thesman
"In desperate flight from her power-hungry mother, Gwenore takes refuge in an abbey and a women's healing community."
Grassroots:A Field Guide for Feminist Activism, by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards
"This handbook, drawing heavily on individual stories as examples, shows how girls and women can effect change without being highly experienced or morally irreproachable."
Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX, The Law that Changed the Future of Girls in America, by Karen Blumenthal
"Lives were changed forever after the landmark Title IX legislation, as shown through first person accounts and photographs. Title IX, which banned sex discrimination in U.S. education, granted equal opportunities, particularly in athletics, to girls and women."
A Bad Woman Feeling Good: Blues and the Women Who Sing Them, by Buzzy Jackson
"From Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith to Tina Turner and Janis Joplin, the blueswomen who transcended not only the old styles but also the gender stereotypes of the twentieth century; these profiles celebrate a new perspective of the genre's “bad women” for the next generation."
Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her, by Melanie Rehak
"Follow the real-life adventures of the creators of the Nancy Drew books, from her creation in 1930 to today when, 76 years later, the bold girl detective is still inspiring generations of girls with her bravery, wit, and intelligence. "
Find more titles--winning, in every sense of the word--look here.
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