Ashley Hall Library Assistant Ginger Dixon recommends ten children’s books that parents can use to spark meaningful conversations with their daughters. From lessons on perseverance and responsibility to celebrations of kindness and self-acceptance, these titles provide a fun and accessible way to share life lessons. 

1.   The Scarecrow’s Hat by Ken Brown

   • Chicken thinks Scarecrow’s hat will make a nice nest, but first she must swap with Badger, Crow, Sheep, Owl, and Donkey. Themes: Perseverance, Creative Solutions

2.   Cinnamon and the April Showers by Amy Crane Johnson

   • Solomon Raven explains the importance of rain for animal and forest survival after an April shower frightens Cinnamon, her new cub, and their woodland friends. Theme: Managing Emotions

3.   My Name Is Lucy by Vanessa Julian-Ottie

   • Lucy is a Golden Retriever. When the neighborhood cat ruins a table covered with food for a special party and then disappears, Lucy’s family blames her. Theme: Responsibility

4.   You Be You by Linda Kranz

   • After exploring his ocean home and seeing many different types of sea life, a young fish named Adri talks to his parents and learns that differences make the world colorful and beautiful. Themes: Individuality, Self-Acceptance

5.   Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison

   • School does not go very well for Velma, whose older sisters were practically perfect students, until her class takes a trip to a butterfly conservatory. Theme: Patience

6.   One Smile by Cindy McKinley

   • When a child smiles at someone who looks sad, she sets off a chain of kindness that eventually comes full circle. Theme: Kindness

7.   Elinor and Violet: two Naughty Chickens at the Beach by Patti Beling Murphy

   • While Violet, a really naughty chicken, is visiting her grandmother again for the summer, she convinces Elinor to do things that upset Elinor’s mother and sisters, but Elinor does prove to have a mind of her own. Themes: Making Good Choices, Resisting Peer Pressure

8.   One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root

   • In this counting book, increasingly larger groups of animals try to help a duck that is stuck in the sleepy, slimy marsh. Theme: Helping Others

9.   Little Quack by Lauren Thompson

   • Little Quack, who is thought to be afraid of everything, proves his bravery during a trip to the pond. Theme: Bravery

10.   The Penguin Who Wanted to Fly by Catherine Vase

    • Flip Flop, the penguin, wants to fly. He tries several ideas, but he is still unsuccessful. As a surprise ending, he finds something he can do that is a lot like flying! Theme: Perseverance
      

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