“Dear Girl, listen to your brave side…”

I first noticed the sweet cover art. Then I saw that this book was written by one of my favorite children’s book authors, who recently died, with her young adult daughter. Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a favorite because she was a real person – I got to see her read, speak, and share joy a few times. She lived in Chicago. She will be missed.

This book project must have preceded the “Me Too” movement of 2017 by many months but it offers a timeless girl empowerment message. Each page is a lyrical note or message to the Girl (Your girl? My girl?) about self-acceptance and self-love in the face of life’s challenges. One senses these are words of wisdom that Amy shared with Paris as she was raising her. The delightful art was digitally created by Holly Hatam, mixing cartoon-stylized humans with watercolor settings with clever touches of collage including a classic text and many girl-power historical images.

This book would be enjoyed as a quiet and repeated lap sit with a Girl that you love, ages 2 to 32. It would also make a great gift for someone you love.