The best “girl books” to read to your sons to make them better men

Erin Bartels Author Of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water
By Erin Bartels

Who am I?

Like so many girls and women, I have been the victim of sexual harassment and abuse. I want my son to grow up not just being respectful of women, but truly seeing us as equal in intellect, ability, personhood. One of the ways I have worked to ensure this is to read him books where girls are the protagonists, the subjects acting upon objects, not the objects being acted upon. He wasn’t always sure he’d like these stories, but I made him at least give them a try. And you know what? He loved them. And I know they’ve been part of forming him into a better man.

I wrote...

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

By Erin Bartels

Book cover of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

What is my book about?

When novelist Kendra Brennan moves into the old family cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. The problem? An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend’s brother—the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. If she can prove she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter’s claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.

But what she discovers as she delves into the past is not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn’t easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she’s ever had to do.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

The Books I Picked & Why

Anne of Green Gables

By L.M. Montgomery

Book cover of Anne of Green Gables

Why this book?

What I have always loved about Anne Shirley is that she shows that femininity does not necessarily equal meekness, that a girl can love pretty things and pretty occasions and even wish she were prettier herself, and yet have spunk, grit, and ambition. I’ve connected with Anne on a personal level in the way she didn’t just want to do well in school, she wanted to be the best—and to show that she was just as smart (and smarter) than the boys in her class. The way she matures through the series is marvelous, but for the boy in your life looking for a funny protagonist who gets into trouble but has a good heart, it’s hard to beat Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

By Scott O’Dell

Book cover of Island of the Blue Dolphins

Why this book?

This is the classic adventure/survival story—like Robinson Crusoe or The Swiss Family Robinson—but with a girl doing the adventuring. Karana, a native girl left behind when her tribe leaves their island, must take on traditionally male roles and skills in order to survive, showing that many of “gender specific” activities are merely cultural constructs and that girls are just as smart and resourceful and capable as men. The tendency of male ambition to lead to greed, subjugation, and destruction is unflinchingly shown, serving as a warning to young readers to keep such inclinations in check. It is also a powerful statement on conserving natural resources and using them in a humane and sustainable manner.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

A Wrinkle in Time

By Madeleine L'Engle

Book cover of A Wrinkle in Time

Why this book?

Why do we love awkward, brainy, nonconformist characters so much today? Because people like Madeline L’Engle blazed the trail by creating protagonists like Meg Murry. Smart, empathetic, and just a bit more daring than she believes herself to be, Meg is the daughter of a brilliant scientist father and a brilliant scientist mother. In L’Engle’s world, the gender of the characters doesn’t seem to matter much. All of them must face their fears, resist the pull to conform, and work together to save the universe. But it is Meg who asks the right questions and ultimately comes to the right conclusions.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Harriet the Spy

By Louise Fitzhugh

Book cover of Harriet the Spy

Why this book?

It may seem a strange lesson to want to teach, but I think it’s important for boys (and men) to know that girls (and women) are not somehow inherently more moral than they are. Girls can be just as “bad” as boys. Harriet is self-centered. She is mean and vengeful toward her friends. She lies, swears, and talks back to her parents, which earned the book the rather marvelous status of having been banned from some school libraries. Books like this help dismantle the old double standard for behavior, where girls are expected to be model citizens while “boys will be boys.” Nonsense. We all err, we all sin, we all fall short—and we can all be forgiven and strive to live decently toward one another.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

By C.S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes

Book cover of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Why this book?

Yes, C. S. Lewis’s tale about a magical world accessed by a wardrobe follows an ensemble cast, but little Lucy Pevensie is the main protagonist. She is the one who finds Narnia and brings her siblings along into it. She follows Aslan when he sacrifices himself to save her wayward brother. She is there mourning for Aslan in death, and she is there rejoicing when he returns to life. It’s this little girl who invites us to come on an incredible adventure, to not abandon our loved ones to destruction, to trust that there is good in the world, and to work with the forces of light to overcome to forces of darkness. When faced with danger and opportunity, let us say along with Lucy, “I think I can be brave enough.”

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Closely Related Book Lists

The best YA books about secret societies

Suzanne Myers Author Of Stone Cove Island Suzanne Myers

The best historical ghost stories

Katherine Clements Author Of The Coffin Path Katherine Clements

The best books with fierce young women

Veronica Wolff Author Of Isle of Night (The Watchers) Veronica Wolff

The best fantasy books to break your heart

Anya Leigh Josephs Author Of Queen of All Anya Leigh Josephs

Distantly Related Book Lists

The best books about the romances of famous literary couples

Lenore Hart Author Of The Raven’s Bride Lenore Hart

The best books for siblings and scientists

Sarah Marie Jette Author Of What the Wind Can Tell You Sarah Marie Jette

The best math(s) books for people who don’t read math(s) books

Rob Eastaway Author Of Maths on the Back of an Envelope: Clever Ways to (Roughly) Calculate Anything Rob Eastaway

The best literary science fiction with style and is well plotted

Theodore Irvin Silar Author Of Sex Quests: Two Tales of Futures Possible Theodore Irvin Silar