“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women,” is a children’s book written by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo. Each story is concise at one page in length and about women breaking gender norms and making advancements in the name of feminism in areas as diverse as working in the fashion industry to being the first empress. These are stories that I will tell my children someday, whether boys or girls, because of their reoccurring theme of women empowerment. These stories allow children to learn at a young age not only about the strength of women overcoming inequality, but also about adapting, believing in themselves and pursuing what they believe is right. I do wish each story was longer, though, to include more detail and better exemplify the dangers these women faced in challenging the status quo of the time. I also wish the individual stories were longer because children’s books possess details and storytelling elements that this one lacks. If each story were longer, the kids might be tuckered out sooner. The book is educational in moral and historical aspects, and an interesting read for anyone wanting to learn more about important women in history, but it may be a little too concise even for children. The storytelling aspect is lacking and the book is more of a collection of short summaries. Overall, I am in love with the idea of this book. I think it offers powerful messages, and I may even read it to my children someday, but I find that this book missed out on some great opportunities in its child-centered design.
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