Beth in SW WA Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 "Jupiter's biggest moon is Ganymede, not Callisto," she said, pointing over Ron's shoulder at a line in his Astronomy essay... Dd8 pointed this sentence out to me yesterday. She says H is 'inspiring' and :iagree:. What other lit titles (late elementary/middle school) can you recommend which include strong female characters? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Annabel, and really, most of the female demi-gods in the Percy Jackson series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineMom Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Royal Fireworks Press has some great creative, historic and science novels highlighting girls and women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Robyn McKinley books and Anne mccaffrey's young adult books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Theodosia Throckmorton in the series by R.L. LaFevers. Violet Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Kate Weatherall in the Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart. Emily Snow in the Invisible Order series by Paul Crilley. The various heroines in Gail Carson Levine's books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Lisa Yee's Millicent Min, Girl Genius might fit. Millicent is profoundly gifted and has to figure out how she might (and whether she wants to) fit in with other kids her age. I'm partial to this author because my son e-mailed her with a question about her books and she responded quickly and enthusiastically. Love her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizbusby Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Cimorene of The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede. First book is Dealing with Dragons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizbusby Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Also Alanna by Tamora Pierce, but some content warnings on the later books in the series. Other series by the same author also feature female heroines. But check the content before you hand it over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 I look forward to reserving these titles from our library. Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Cimorene of The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede. First book is Dealing with Dragons. :iagree: Morwen and Kazul are strong female characters, too. Oh, and Shiara. The EFC are full of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 I really like The Strictest School in the World and its sequels... Emmaline is the main character, and a young airplane designer (turn of the century, steampunkish but fluffy). They're really cute books, and all three of the young main characters are self-reliant and intelligent. The adults are a little nuts... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) Un Lun Dun Tiffany Aching books by Pratchett (Wee Free Men is the first; you may wish to pre-read the final book, I Shall Wear Midnight) Zahrah the Windseeker (terrible cover, good book) East by Pattou The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making Breadcrumbs and The Cronus Chronicles by Ursu Kiki Strike Ronia, the Robber's Daughter Howl's Moving Castle The Mousehunter The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle For something a bit different and close to home: Boston Jane (there are sequels, but I haven't read them) Edited January 30, 2012 by nmoira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 (edited) nm Edited November 21, 2012 by Honoria Glossop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 What other lit titles (late elementary/middle school) can you recommend which include strong female characters? This site should lead you to some titles with strong female characters: http://childrensbooks.about.com/cs/strongfemales/a/strongfemales.htm Off the top of my head: Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, The View From Saturday. Skellig has a strong female character in Mina, who is also homeschooled. I just checked it out on Amazon, and I see now that David Almond has written Mina's story in the book My Name is Mina. Maybe Number the Stars by Lois Lowry? There is also Great Books for Girls (as well as Great Books for Boys) by Kathleen Odean that lists hundreds of books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I remember fondly reading the book, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle as a young girl and LOVING it. You might want to look it over though- the girl does, through a series of events, end up defying her parents. But I really don't feel the message is one of rebellion. Anyway, the quick summary is she was a passenger on a ship whose crew ended up in mutiny against the captain and she had to think on her feet in order to survive... there's a murder, suspense, and intrigue. I loved it. I see they changed the cover on the book. The one I had and can literally see whenever I think about it is this one that I had. Awwww memories. I love reading. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyCamper Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 The character Cass in the Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch is strong and fun. The audio can be fun to listen to in the car. But I also :001_wub: Hermione most of all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Meg in A Wrinkle in Time is a really fabulous example. Claudia in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is another, though not so perfect as Meg, I don't think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Meg in A Wrinkle in Time is a really fabulous example. Claudia in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is another, though not so perfect as Meg, I don't think. I had forgotten about that book.... it was a favorite of ours for years! Mrs. Frankweiler herself isn't bad either, but perhaps not the sort of character that a young reader identifies with... LOL Actually in that vein... I distinctly remember how much I enjoyed reading the Miss Marple stories, even when I was young, because finally there was a little old lady character who wasn't helpless. The older I get, the more I appreciate that... but even when I was young it struck me. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I had forgotten about that book.... it was a favorite of ours for years! Mrs. Frankweiler herself isn't bad either, but perhaps not the sort of character that a young reader identifies with... LOL I always loved Claudia, too. To this day, whenever I hear somebody say, "Stay put," I secretly think, "Stay in place." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I always loved Claudia, too. To this day, whenever I hear somebody say, "Stay put," I secretly think, "Stay in place." DH's favorite line is "I guess I like complications" :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 You guys already hit most of my favorites. How about The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly? DD *loved* it, and it inspired her to start "the Notebook" and to want to be a biologist. It's about a 10 year old girl living in Texas in 1899, only girl in a family of 7 brothers, mom's pressuring her to be "girlie" but all she wants to do is hang out outside with her crochety grandfather and do "natural history." FWIW, if you think Charles Darwin is evil and/or you shun all mention of natural selection, this probably isn't the book for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I don't think anyone mentioned Meggie of the Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke. We just started the first book in the series, and I love that the main character Meggie has a deep love of books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) Meg in A Wrinkle in Time is a really fabulous example. Claudia in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is another, though not so perfect as Meg, I don't think. Madeleine L'Engle, "A Wrinkle in Time." Abbey & HG, Dd is starting AWiT today. Thanks for the tip! I remember watching this at the Seattle Children's Theater in 4th grade. ETA: Dd just asked me what a tesseract is. I'm in trouble.:confused: Edited February 14, 2012 by Beth in SW WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 My 9 yr old daughter insists on reading novels with female protagonists. I'm not too picky on whether the book is totally appropriate for younger kids, so you might want to pre-read first, but her current absolute favorite is Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men and sequels. I read it and enjoyed it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Dear Beth, If she likes "A Wrinkle in Time," you must hand her Rebecca Stead's "When You Reach Me" after she's finished! Best, HG She finished Wrinkle this morning. Loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temperance Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) ETA: Dd just asked me what a tesseract is. I'm in trouble.:confused: Tesseract?! See page 119 of quark's link. :001_smile: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348356&page=2 Edited February 18, 2012 by Temperance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) Tesseract?! See page 119 of quark's link. :001_smile: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348356&page=2 Thanks for this link! I bought the Madeleine L'Engle collection at Costco. It's a keeper. Edited March 1, 2012 by Beth in SW WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Dd is reading The Miracle Worker play today. She loves it. Not a fictional character, but a strong female for sure. Anne Sullivan was a genius. Dd enjoyed this as older women. She will read The Story Of My Life by Hellen Keller in LL7. It's on the shelf waiting for my LL to arrive. :) Perhaps I should start a new thread about 'real life' strong females for our kids to study.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Perhaps I should start a new thread about 'real life' strong females for our kids to study....Nellie Bly :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 We love all the Penderwick sisters! Kate from the Mysterious Benedict Society is another favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.