books - female role models. . .

[Guest Barb B]

Well, I posted something similar on the k-8 board. I am looking to create a list of books that have a woman character that is a "strong" women character, with good character, christian, feminine yet strong in some way - does that make sense? Truly there is probably lots out there, I just can't find many. . . am brain dead I guess. I know little Women is out there, but I may be the only one that just couldn't get through it?. I would like to show dd through books that women can be maternal, feminine, have a positive influence on others, take care of themselves and yet be nice. Seems in movies and our culture women and girls are portrayed as either mean, bi*&*y, air headed, s*x objects or victims. I would love to read and discuss the opposite of all that! HELP.

Barb

[Denise in Florida]

This does not fit all of your criteria, sorry. Tamora Pierce writes wonderful books with strong female leads. However, they are science fantasy and have a earth-mother type theology. You might check them out yourself first because the female characters do have a great role model potential.

 

 

How old is your dd? What are her interests?

 

When I was young I really liked a book called Mustang by Marguerite Henry. It is quite dated now. The protagonist is a women who leads the effort to get protective legislation for the wild mustangs. Her personal life is also very admirable. As a child she had a surgery that left her face slightly disfigured, at one point later she becomes obsessed with hair and makeup to hide the 'fault'. Her mother talks to her about 'pretty is as pretty does', she ends up with a charming supportive husband. Very sweet, but very dated. Read it before your dd as she might not like the style/language.

[Candid]

Hmmmm, I doubt your dd is ready for this (not sure many high school students are) but there are is at least one interesting female character in Crime and Punishment (maybe more). But here's the thing, when we meet her she's working as a well, a working girl to help support herself and her family. Still this is a book about transformation and the end is cathartic and she has a part in that. But wait until late high school.

 

Okay, I'm probably in the wrong state of mind to answer this question.

 

You might also look at Mansfield Park as well.

[emubird]

A Little Princess

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Anne of Green Gables

Nellie Bly

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Little House Books (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

The Birchbark House (and the rest in the series)

Pollyanna

Heidi

The Secret Garden

The Railway Children

The Prydain Chronicles (there is one strong female character)

 

 

For older kids:

My Antonia

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Eyre

The Story of My Life (Helen Keller)

Nectar in a Sieve

Out of Africa

West with the Night

The Poisonwood Bible

The Scarlet Pimpernel

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

 

 

There are lots more that I'm not thinking of.

[emubird]

And

Julie of the Wolves

[Nan in Mass]

Emu - These are the ones I grew up with (with a few exceptions and additions).

 

As an adult, I have been struck by Mansfield Park, as unlikely as it seems. The main character is very biddable but still manages to do what she thinks is right, be her own person, and win in the end. LOL Edward is a stupid prig and very typical. I think perhaps you have to resemble Fanny (I do) to see how strong she actually is. She isn't a character that appeals to most modern women, unlike the other Jane Austin main characters, who are strong in a more modern way (more being the key word here).

 

As an adult, I also (at the request of my nieces and nephews) have read Tamora Pierce. I would have loved her books when I was little, although they strike me as rather over done and obvious as an adult in their justification of various things like fighting. I would have loved how the main characters aquire animal friends and how the book contains directions for things. If the book says that the children were taught how to meditate to clear their minds of frustration and anger, the teachers directions are included in the book. Some of the books are meant for older children and include some of the more intimate details of growing up and some more adult situations. I am quite sure they aren't going to be something you want to give your children if you are conservative Christian, for a variety of reasons.

 

Nan

[emubird]

A couple more. I haven't read these in a long time, so I can't quite remember what's in them, but they might be worth a look:

 

Blackberry Winter (autobiography of Margaret Mead)

The Road from Coorain (autobiography of Jill Ker Conway)

 

And I wonder if My Brilliant Career might also be interesting.

 

The later Betsy-Tacy books might be a possibility. Betsy always comes across as kind of ding bat, but she does fend for herself and learns a lot of worthwhile lessons from her misdeeds. What Katy Did Next is similar, but there isn't as much plot.

 

My daughters absolutely could not get through Little Women. My book club tried to read it too, and nobody got through it but me. Everyone found it over the top moralistic. It was not, as they said, the book they remembered from their childhood. I suspect many of us read an abridged version when we were kids.

[emubird]

I just keep coming up with more.

 

The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency

 

It's a bit dark. I wouldn't give it to a kid until they were late high school.

 

I suppose Harriet Vane in the Lord Peter Wimsey novels might also qualify, although she sits in a prison during the entire first book she's in (Strong Poison) while dashing Peter goes out and rescues her. (The strong part is that she doesn't really appreciate being in this position.) The morality of that one might offend some as she's in prison for supposedly killing her ex-live in boyfriend.

 

But Gaudy Night might have more strong female characters.

[emubird]

 

As an adult, I have been struck by Mansfield Park, as unlikely as it seems. The main character is very biddable but still manages to do what she thinks is right, be her own person, and win in the end. LOL Edward is a stupid prig and very typical. I think perhaps you have to resemble Fanny (I do) to see how strong she actually is. She isn't a character that appeals to most modern women, unlike the other Jane Austin main characters, who are strong in a more modern way (more being the key word here).

 

 

It's been years since I read Mansfield Park. Now you're making me want to go back and reread it!

 

And there is a strong female character in The Moonstone, although she's more strong for what she doesn't do than for what she does do. (But it's a hilarious book.) Although one of the other female characters -- well, you just want to shake some sense into her.

 

The only conclusion I can come to is that I read too much.

[Nan in Mass]

What about Miss Marple?

LOTR may not have many female characters, but they are strong.

 

LOL I spent my childhood with my face in a book, too.

Nan

[Orthodox6]

A good biography can provide the elements you mention, and provide the "bonus" of being true!

 

The Hiding Place usually captivates the reader. (Corrie ten Boom)

 

Consider, also, this biography:

http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Great-Price-Skobtsova-1891-1945/dp/0913836850/ref=pd_sim_b_1

(Morhter Maria Skobtsova) Definitely not the run-of-the-mill nun, and not even what is appropriate for Orthodox monasticism. She was a one-of-a-kind, and very interesting!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

This does not fit all of your criteria, sorry. Tamora Pierce writes wonderful books with strong female leads. However, they are science fantasy and have a earth-mother type theology. You might check them out yourself first because the female characters do have a great role model potential.

 

 

How old is your dd? What are her interests?

 

When I was young I really liked a book called Mustang by Marguerite Henry. It is quite dated now. The protagonist is a women who leads the effort to get protective legislation for the wild mustangs. Her personal life is also very admirable. As a child she had a surgery that left her face slightly disfigured, at one point later she becomes obsessed with hair and makeup to hide the 'fault'. Her mother talks to her about 'pretty is as pretty does', she ends up with a charming supportive husband. Very sweet, but very dated. Read it before your dd as she might not like the style/language.

 

I remember that book, but had forgotten that it was Marguerite Henry. I think it was a full body cast post polio that left her lopsided.