10 Children’s Books to Smash the Patriarchy With

Stories have been shaping the way we think and view the world for hundreds of years. With this collection of amazing children feminist books you can start teaching them to smash the patriarchy right from day one!

Stories have been shaping the way we think and view the world for hundreds of years. And you only have to see the way our kids endlessly spew out lines from Room on the Broom or act out a fairytale for the millionth time to see what a big impact they have on our minis. With this collection of amazing children feminist books you can start teaching them to smash the patriarchy right from day one!

Stories have been shaping the way we think and view the world for hundreds of years. With this collection of amazing children feminist books you can start teaching them to smash the patriarchy right from day one!

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Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls – alright, they definitely could have gone with a less gendered name because these stories are for rebels of all descriptions! This book is full of 100 bedtime stories about hte lives of 100 extraordinary women and was illustrated by 60 female artists from around the world. It’s an absolutely beautiful book that makes a wonderful gift and it’s also printed on FSC certified paper with soy and vegetable based ink, so it’s a conscious choice in many ways.

 

What Is Feminism? Why Do We Need It? and Other Big Questions – this book is part of a brilliant series aimed at kids aged 9+. It dives into feminism in a really easy to understand, relatable way looking at how the the feminist movement came about, has changed, and effects every area of our life. It’s great for broaching the big questions with your tiny activists-in-training. And if you love this one, there’s also a great edition on consent and one on gender.

 

Pretty – Down with beauty norms! This is a funny book about a witch who wants to look her best for a date. She faces pressure to change her appearance from her woodland creature friends to …but will she be the same witch if she does? This is a sweet book to help raise awareness of the ways patriarchy pressures us to be different and how perfect we are without changing a thing.

 

My First Book Of Feminism (For Boys) – Although it’s not being released until later this year, you can currently pre-order this new kids book that simplifies grownup ideas like “women’s rights are human rights” and “no means no” for boys aged birth to 3 years. Lovely illustrations are paired with teachable moments from familiar scenarios to show that women are strong and smart and deserve respect. I’ve got this one pre-ordered; let’s hope it lives up to the hype!

 

I Am Enough – There’s no greater F-YOU to the patriarchy than raising a generation of children who respect themselves and each other and are kind to the earth. This is a beautiful, lyrical book that teaches kids, “We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it.” Heck yes!

 

A is for Activist – Start ’em young with this sweet board book that teaches tiny activists their ABCs while they learn about environmental justice, civil rights, and LGBTQ rights, so they’re ready for the revolution! And you can now get the sweet follow up book, Counting for Community.

 

Girls FC 1: Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras? – I love that without being overtly political, this series of books gets the message across that there isn’t boys stuff and girls stuff, there’s just stuff. So heck yes you can wear a tiara and play football! Aimed at 7-12 year olds, this is a whole series of books full of strong female characters.

 

People of Peace – With beautifully illustrated stories about activists for peace, this book shows again and again how possible it is for individuals to change the world through peaceful means. As we know, #AllOfOurHeroesAreProblematic (I’m looking at Gandhi!) but this can become a great learning opportunity to talk with children about the nuance of human behaviour if you want it to be.

 

Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag – A beautifully illustrated and deeply moving depiction that traces the life of the gay pride flag from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today’s world.

 

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo – Oh how delightful to give Mike Pence the finger with your book purchases, huh? Released one day before the Pence family’s own Marlon Bundo children’s book, this book was written by a writer from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It tells the story of Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence – the Vice President of the United States. Marlon falls in love with another boy bunny …subtle, huh? ;) It’s a sweet story with a message of tolerance and advocacy.

 

Sarah Starrs lives with her husband, son, and cat just off Penny Lane in Liverpool. She writes about magic, motherhood, embodiment, cyclic living, and her reverence for the seasons. She believes that the two most powerful words in the English language are “me too!” and hopes her writing helps other people feel less alone.

Featured photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

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