THREE BOOKS to add to your CHILD’S BOOKSHELF now …
Now more than ever perhaps, it’s important that we take the time to instil feminist values in our children from a young age. In celebration of Mother’s Day, here are three books to read to your children that will help them to grow up knowing that we should all be treated as equal.
Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto In Fifteen Suggestions by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie (€14.00, 4th Estate)
Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto In Fifteen Suggestions was written by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie after she received a letter from her friend, a new mother, asking how she could best raise her daughter as a feminist. The suggestions include teaching your child that the idea of ‘gender roles’ is “absolute nonsense” and advising the new mother that she should “do it together” with her husband, suggesting that fathers and mothers should both play an equally strong role in raising their children. Another suggestion from Ngozi Adichie’s book that we love is: “Be a full person. Motherhood is a glorious gift, but do not define yourself solely by motherhood. Be a full person. Your child will benefit from that.”
Malala Yousafzai, Warrior With Words by Karen Leggett Abouraya (€11, Seymour Science LLC)
This is the inspiring true story of Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban. It may not sound child-friendly, but this book makes this hugely important story accessible for kids. Malala went on to become the youngest ever Nobel Prize winner, speaking at the UN on her 16th birthday in 2013. Malala is now an advocate for education for all girls and boys, campaigning around the world to bring awareness to the issue.
Little People, Big Dreams: Coco Chanel by Ma Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Ana Albero (€13.99, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)
The Little People, Big Dreams collection documents the lives of outstanding people and starts at the very beginning of their story as a child. Coco Chanel’s story starts with her growing up in an orphanage and goes on to see how she became one of the world’s most successful fashion designers. Designed to encourage children to follow their passions and believe in themselves, these books are inspiring and informative biographies. Also included in the series are Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart and Maya Angelo among others – a seemingly endless list of inspirational women.
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