A strong female character is not a girl who wins every fight. She is a girl who wants something badly enough to go get it: Matilda working her way through the library one stack at a time, Irene hauling a ball gown uphill through a blizzard, Pippi lifting a horse because that is simply what Pippi does. The best of them are stubborn, funny, frequently wrong, and always the reason the story moves.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 212 books with strong female characters, our editors looked for heroines with real wants, real flaws, and real consequences—terrific stories first, and no lectures anywhere. Start with our 10 favorites, then browse the age shelves or follow a related topic toward the kind of heroine your reader wants next.
Her castle is ash and her wardrobe is a paper bag, but the dragon has no idea what it is dealing with.
A young girl discovers she has telekinetic powers and uses them to defend herself against her cruel parents and the evil headmistress of her school.
A girl braves a fierce snowstorm to deliver a gown to the palace. Will she succeed?
A nine-year-old with a suitcase of gold, a horse on the porch, and absolutely no interest in being told what to do.
A stormy night, a mysterious stranger, and a quest through time to find a missing father.
A piglet with a full schedule, a strong sense of style, and no intention of taking a nap.
A young spy's secret notebook falls into the wrong hands, threatening her friendships.
A lone girl faces a deadly sea voyage with a mutinous crew and a murderous captain.
A girl must navigate a magical world to find her missing brother.
Small girls with very large opinions, in sturdy pages built for ages 0–3.
Discover ten women who changed history with their courage and vision.
Empower young dreamers with 1,000 words and 100 female heroes to inspire change.
Discover friendship in unexpected places with a classic tale's charm.
A mother answers her child's questions about what princesses do.
A little princess resists bedtime with endless tasks. Will she ever sleep?
A brave warrior defies tradition to save her family and country.
Heroines who solve the problem themselves—inventing, arguing, rescuing, and occasionally out-talking a dragon—for read-aloud listeners ages 3–8.
A young girl discovers unexpected bravery when faced with danger.
Discover thirteen women who defied the odds and changed the world.
A woman defies societal norms to fight for voting rights, changing history forever.
A young girl named Madeline has her appendix removed and her friends want to have the same experience.
An aspiring engineer makes an invention to help her relative.
A girl dreams of fixing rockets and must save a prince's ship in distress.
Two girls, two paths: who finds true happiness without magic?
A daring princess faces unexpected challenges when mysterious seeds grow into something bizarre.
A farm girl dreams of a prince, but destiny has other plans.
Discover the trailblazing journey of a woman who taught computers to 'speak English' and broke all the rules.
A young girl integrates a white elementary school in New Orleans in the 1960s.
A young girl's desire for a magic pencil leads her to discover the power of her own voice and the importance of education.
Survival stories, mysteries, fantasy quests, and enduring classics carried start to finish by one girl, for ages 6–12.
A lonely girl discovers a hidden garden with a mysterious key.
A witch raises a magical child, unaware of the looming threats and a young man's quest to end her life.
A family's land is their lifeblood amidst racism and turmoil.
A cursed girl must obey every command. Can she break free?
Four sisters navigate life's challenges while awaiting their father's return from war.
A voiceless girl finds a way to be heard.
A young girl helps hide her friend from Nazi forces in occupied Denmark.
Alone on a desolate island, a girl battles nature and wild dogs for survival.
A young girl juggles motel duties, hidden secrets, and dreams of writing.
A girl seeks the Old Man on the Moon to change her family's fortune.
A princess must find a prince to break a sleeping curse cast on her family.
Rapunzel's enchanted tower hides secrets. A thief's arrival changes everything.
