Girls supporting girls throughout our lives strongly impacts how we grow up and connect with others. Remembering the value of what it means to be part of a sisterhood and have each other’s backs no matter who we are or what we go through is important for all ages. To celebrate the strength in communities of girls, here are seven children’s books for girls to see the value in the friendships they are making now and will make in the future.
My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano, Illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
My Best Friend, by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, tells the uplifting story of two friends who share snapshot moments with each other.
Follow the inner thoughts of two best friends living their lives together as they play, talk, and enjoy peace and quiet together. The girls’ connection will bring about similar memories for those who have found their twin with another person in their lives. Fogliano’s poetics with Tamaki’s illustrations will warm your heart as you read about the start of the two girls’ friendship.
It’s Showtime! A Pepper and Frannie Story by Catherine Lazar Odell
It’s Showtime! A Pepper and Frannie Story by Catherine Lazar Odell tells the story of two friends who have opposing feelings about performing on stage but work together to put on a good show.
Pepper works backstage while Frannie puts on the spectacle of a lifetime, but when Frannie forgets to practice her performance and is left frozen on stage, will Pepper be able to help her friend in her time of need and save the show? Odell tells an inspiring story of friends having each other’s back no matter what while showing the value of opposites attract friendships. Readers will have a fun time with Pepper and Frannie and if they wish to see more of their friendship they can also check out Odell’s book, Pepper and Frannie.
Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed, Illustrated by Doug Chayka
Inspired by a refugee girl who told the authors she wished to see stories about girls like her, Four Feet, Two Sandals, by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed and illustrated by Doug Chayka, shows the power of friendship when you have to make the best of what you’ve got.
When a group of relief workers come to a refugee camp to bring used clothing, Lina and Feroza find themselves in a predicament when both girls grab a pair of the same shoe. Instead of fighting or releasing the shoes, they decide to share the pair in a decision that will remind them of the power of friendship as they live their lives while waiting to be accepted to go to America. This story not only shows the girls’ resilience as they live in poor conditions but also shows the importance of friendships for refugees living their lives in a time of fear and uncertainty.
The Girls by Lauren Ace, Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie
The Girls by Lauren Ace and illustrated by Jenny Løvlie tells the story of four girls as they grow up and become women and the experiences they share under an apple tree.
This story of Sasha, Lottie, Alice, and Leela will show readers the beauty in girl groups as they play, tell stories and secrets, and go through everyday life struggles together. Even when their journeys lead them on different paths there is nothing that can stop the power of true friendship for these girls. Ace’s storytelling along with Løvlie’s illustrations is true to the lifestyle of growing up in girlhood and brings solace to life as the girls’ presences in each other’s lives make growing up easier to bear.
Sister Friend by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani
Sister Friend by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani celebrate the power of creating friendships through cultures.
Following Ameena, a little girl who feels out of place with the other kids in her class, readers watch as she finds herself trying to find the right words to become friends with the newest girl in class who wears a hijab and has brown skin just like her. Thompkins-Bigelow’s prose along with Maydani’s illustrations tell their beautiful story as Ameena attempts to make a connection with the girl and eventually finds that, together, they can find a way to say what they’ve always wanted to say to each other: “Assalamu Alaikum, Sister. Welcome.”
Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship by Kelly Light
Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship by Kelly Light tells the story of two girls who have an interest in art but in different styles and how they can overcome their creative differences.
When Louise finds out she has a new neighbor, she realizes she also loves art, but in a different way than her. Through trial and error, the girls find that an interest in art seems to be the extent of their similarities to the hobby. Will they learn to collaborate in their different art styles, or will this keep them from being friends? Light’s ability to tell the story of the same interests in different fonts highlights not only the importance of having differences in friendships but also the value of uniqueness and how collaboration can create something even more beautiful than one mind can envision.
The Superpower Sisterhood by Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush, Illustrated by Cyndi Wojciechowski
The Superpower Sisterhood by Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush and illustrated by Cyndi Wojciechowski tells the exciting story of what happens when a group of girls get together and put their collective skills together.
When two sets of sisters move into Emma’s neighborhood, they become quick friends and become the neighborhood’s new girl group. When they put their skills together, they learn that their special talents are more super than they realized. Bush Hager and Pierce Bush’s prose along with Wojciechowski’s illustrations tells readers a fun and uplifting story of the value of differences coming together to make something special for the community.
Life can be hard, especially when it feels like we’re going through it alone. Remembering the value of all the different types of friendships we can have allows all of us to see the value in our own connections with the people around us. The value of sisterhood is one that no girl should ever forget as sisterhoods help us as life gets harder and more complicated. I hope these recommendations can help tell these stories for the new age of girls who are finding their lifelong friendships.
Looking to find more on sisterhood? Click here.
Want to find more children’s book recommendations? Check out our Young Reader’s and Children’s Holiday Recs bookshelf on bookshop.org.
