I’m a Master’s student in Young Adult and Children’s Literature, working on a dissertation about the representation of girls and women in children’s and adolescent books. I’m focusing on gender roles, societal pressure, career vs maternity, and oppression of female characters.
I’m looking for books, preferably in the young adult category, that feature strong female protagonists, explore adolescent female struggles, or highlight social expectations and limitations imposed on girls. Classic or contemporary works are welcome.
Thank you in advance!
by justwannatakeitoff
13 Comments
Any chance you go to PSU?
Are you familiar with the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer?
Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett.
Btw why do you assume women are oppressed?
I always loved Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (sooo different from the film!) because she saves herself at the end.
Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo
Grown or Monday’s Not Coming – Tiffany D. Jackson
Patina – Jason Reynolds
Starfish – Lisa Fipps
The Grace Year – Kim Liggett
The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter – Erika L Sanchez
Moxie – Jennifer Mathieu
Maybe He Just Likes You – Barbara Dee
Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson
The Night Diary – Veera Hiranandani
The Red Pencil – Andrea Davis Pikney
Black Girl Unlimited – Echo Brown
Maybe Lady Sherlock by Sherry Thomas? It’s a really interesting (especially the first book) re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes as a woman who creates the character to get around all the heavy limitations on being a woman in Victorian England. No clue what qualifies as young adult, but I think it’s particularly interesting because of how popular that era and the surrounding era nobility cultures are for romantic portrayals.
Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
The Hunger Games
Books only or graphic novels as well? Because I have two absolutely fantastic recommendations for graphic novels.
*Ink Girls* by Marieke Nijkamp and Sylvia Bi is an excellent story of a medieval/Renaissance city where the main character, Cinzia, helps her mentor publish a regular one-sheet newspaper. When her Mestra publishes negative articles about a powerful person, there are consequences and adventures.
*Squire* by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas is an amazing adventure, anti-colonialist, full of found family and reflection on responsibility.
Patricia C. Wrede has written a bunch of sci-fi and fantasy that includes strong, well written female characters. While a bunch of her stuff is written for adults (I’m thinking of her Lyra ‘series’), she has a collection of 4 short novels that are Terry Pratchett-esque in their humor and turn gender roles on their sides, then inside out. You might check them out – collectively they are known as the “Enchanted Forest Chronicles.” Individually, they are:
* Dealing with Dragons
* Searching for Dragons
* Calling on Dragons
* Talking to Dragons
There are several set in historical settings that might be interesting such as The midwife’s Apprentice or The witch of blackbird pond.
Robert C. O’Brien’s “Z For Zachariah” is a classic novel about Ann Burden, a sixteen year old farm girl who may be the last survivor of a nuclear war.
Anne of Green Gables books definitely deal with this topic!
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, definitely.
Tamora Pierce’s entire bibliography but especially the Alanna books and the Protector of the Small series