Children's reading lists

6 books with strong female role models

Incredible grannies, determined girls, life-saving professionals and heroines of all shapes and sizes. These books feature characters that are driven, kind and compassionate; they challenge convention and break boundaries and are a great way to introduce little ones to strong female role models.

Origami Girl from Newspaper Boy and Origami Girl by Michael Foreman | Andersen

Move over Superman, there’s a new hero in town! When Joey the newspaper boy has all his money stolen by a group of bullies, his remaining newspapers magically transform into Origami Girl, a highly original superhero made of words and ideas. Origami Girl takes Joey on an incredible adventure to track down and confront the bullies in this exciting story, written and beautifully illustrated by Michael Foreman. This inventive tale defies superhero convention and shows that girls can be just as heroic as boys.

Sign up to the Ladybird newsletter

The latest books, activities and tips to help you grow little readers