Alongside untangling developments such as the global and domestic #MeToo campaigns, and the backlash against it (that for many manifested itself in the recent confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court), the question of how to prepare future generations of boys and girls has been utmost on the minds of many parents.
In a world where basic tenets of equality continue to come under threat, how to equip the world’s future adults for what life throws at them?
Enter a recent and welcome genre of children’s books aimed at bringing to life and light the achievements and history of the many women who have shaped our life — from scientists to musicians and activists — yet for many years remained invisible.
Now if you visit a bookshop, you are likely to see the Little People, Big Dreams series prominently displayed. These hard back, beautifully illustrated books focus on some of the most prominent names — from Mother Teresa to activist Rosa Parks to aviator Amelia Earhart and painter Frida Kahlo — telling the story of their lives, challenges and achievements in simple, evocative terms.
There are other series such as Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World that also delve into characters from science, politics and art — some of whom are familiar names and others far less so.
For slightly older children, there is the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series that originated as a crowd-funded project and tells the stories of women achievers, from Elizabeth I to Michelle Obama. Other books that tell the stories of less-known people — like American ichthyologist Eugenie Clark and astronomer Henrietta Leavitt — abound. There’s a lovely selection on Malala. These stories don’t attempt to skirt over the problems of the past and make readers aware of the many challenges that these remarkable women faced down to get where they did, alongside other barriers such as colour, education and class.
And with their successes in the West, there’s a drive to increase diversity of the subject matter. Next year, Stories for South Asian Supergirls , featuring everyone from the Second World War spy Noor Inayat Khan to the world’s first woman head of government Sirimavo Bandaranaike is set to be published (including in India).
For those keen to instill in their girls and boys a fundamental respect for each other and what they are capable of, such books are a fun and provide a lovely means.
