The annual International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated each year on October 11 to promote a safe, educated, and healthy life for girls everywhere and to invite people all over the world to expand our understanding of the various challenges that young girls continue to face in the transition to adulthood.
In this roundup of BC books, we’re celebrating the importance of safeguarding the rights of young girls from all walks of life to a future that embraces their unique perspectives, trials, and histories.
HISTORY
Lilian Bland: An Amazing Aviatrix by Haley Healey, illustrated by Kimiko Fraser (Heritage House Publishers)
Haley Healey’s latest book introduces young readers to the first woman ever to design, build, and fly her own airplane.
Since she was a little girl, Lilian Bland has loved to watch black gulls soaring through the sky near her England home. She was fascinated by the mechanics of flight, but airplanes were still very new when she was growing up, and those who did fly were usually men. When she could not find anyone to teach her to fly, however, Lilian took matters into her own hands. She designed and built her own plane, and—after many tries—finally got it to fly.
This enchanting picture book celebrates Lilian, remembered both in England and in her adopted home of Quatsino Sound on Vancouver Island, and charts her life from girlhood to her lasting legacy in the world of aviation. Told with beautiful illustrations and a clear, inspiring narrative, Lilian’s story of adventure and creativity reminds young girls that you’re never too young to aim for the skies.
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The Secret Marathon by Martin Parnell (Rocky Mountain Books)
Martin Parnell was recovering from a life-threatening and rare blood clot on his brain when he first read about Zainab, the first Afghan woman to run a marathon in her country’s history. Martin was so inspired by Zainab’s story that in 2016, he went on a journey that many believed was madness: running a marathon in Afghanistan in a quest to fight for women’s rights and gender equality.
But Martin had made a promise to himself: if he was able to recover from his illness, he would run with Zainab at the next “Marathon of Afghanistan” in support of the rights of girls and women in Afghanistan.
The Secret Marathon is Martin’s account of that experience, transporting readers to a country of beauty, hardship, and complexity—and sharing in the despair, resilience, and friendliness of the Afghan people as they strive for freedom and equality for themselves and their fellow citizens.
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Kimiko Murakami: A Japanese-Canadian Pioneer by Haley Healey, illustrated by Kimiko Fraser (Heritage House Publishers)
Kimiko Murakami: A Japanese-Canadian Pioneer introduces young readers to the inspiring real life story of Kimiko Murakami, a Japanese-Canadian pioneer and internment camp survivor whose life embodied the spirit of ganbaru, a Japanese word that means to keep going and never give up no matter what’s thrown your way. Beautifully illustrated for a young audience, this picture book follows Kimiko from her time as one of 22,000 Japanese Canadians sent to live in internment camps and robbed of basic rights and freedoms during the Second World War.
“This inspirational story shines a spotlight on hope and the power of resilience in a time of struggle,” says Deborah Hodge, author of West Coast Wild at Low Tide. “Evocative illustrations and a touching narrative provide young readers with a poignant true-to-life tale about the resolve and spirit of one remarkable woman during a painful period in Canada’s past.”
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TEEN
The Science Of Boys by Emily Seo, illustrated By Gracey Zhang (Tradewind Books)
Science nerd Emma Sakamoto wants to reinvent herself. So when a popular girl at school seeks Emma’s help in getting a boy to like her, Emma applies scientific laws and theories to a perplexing subject: boys.
But do people really conform to scientific principles? Emma confronts this question and more as she sets out to write The Science of Boys, taking readers along for the ride and, as described by Canadian Materials, “through the gamut of teenaged emotions: embarrassment, loneliness, excitement, deceit, acceptance, and the long difficult journey to self-knowledge.”
With Emily Seo’s grounded prose and bold illustrations by Gracey Zhang, The Science of Boys delivers a heartwarming story about the struggles of fitting in and the complexities of friendship.
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Racing Hearts by Melinda Di Lorenzo (Orca Book Publishers)
Five months ago, Sienna Shoring lost her best friend, Stacey, to suicide. Now Sienna’s back at school, struggling—and failing—to find her new place in the social hierarchy. Awkward and alone, Sienna is still dealing with her grief. When a package arrives for the “Try It Triathlon,” which Stacey signed them up for as a joke, it’s like receiving a message from the grave. Sienna has no experience with running or biking. And she doesn’t even own a swimsuit. But she decides to take on the challenge in honour of her best friend, and finds a connection with an unexpected training partner in this body-positive romance exploring first love, grief, perseverance, and trusting in yourself.
“Di Lorenzo walks an excellent line of showing that Sienna’s experience of bullying is real, but that other students are capable of respect and kindness,” writes the School Library Journal. “Readers watch as Sienna breaks down the walls she has built up around herself and opens herself to romance and new friendships. This refreshing sports story does not focus on Sienna trying to change or shrink her body; she wants to complete the triathlon in memory of her friend, and out of spite for her bullies.”
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PICTURE BOOKS
Storyteller Skye: Teachings from My Ojibway Grandfather by Lindsay Christina King, illustrated by Carolyn Frank (Medicine Wheel Publishing)
Both a love letter and an introduction to the art of storytelling, this collection of funny and unique short stories follows young Skye as she takes readers through a number of Indigenous teachings, passed down to her from her Ojibway Grandfather. Through her natural gift of telling stories, Skye reminds other children that “each story has a special teaching, so remember to listen closely for it.”
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Sangeet and the Missing Beat by Kiranjot Kaur (Rebel Mountain Press)
Sangeet loves music—and she’s good at composing it, too. One day, she stumbles upon a collection of noises and is struck by the incredible beat they all make together, but when she tries to reproduce the same music on the tabla, her favourite instrument, she finds that something is missing.
“Sangeet and the Missing Beat,” says teacher-librarian Punam Gill, “is a wonderful picture book and a resource that can be used to initiate class discussions and lesson introductions about music, diversity and perseverance. Children will enjoy hearing about how Sangeet faces her dilemma and ultimately solves her problem with support from her loving family. By the end of the story, readers will likely be thumping and tapping away, trying to create their own beat.”
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The Corn Chief by Karen Whetung, photographed by Lindsay Delaronde (Medicine Wheel Publishing)
In this innovative story told with the help of traditional corn husk dolls, young Linny dreams of being chosen as the wizened old chief’s replacement. As she struggles to pass his test, Linny learns with the help of her family what it really takes to become chief—in the most unexpected way.
“Leadership is more than just completion of a task,” young Lenny is gently reminded in this one-of-a-kind storybook. “It’s learning that we all need help and knowing when to ask.”
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