Now that we’re all doing school at home, it’s the perfect time to focus on writing — and these writing books for girls can help!
On Wings of Words: The Extraordinary Life of Emily Dickinson
April is National Poetry Month … the perfect time to celebrate poet Emily Dickinson! This picture book biography interweaves Emily’s poetry with the story of her life, with gorgeous illustrations spreading over each page.
Redwood and Ponytail
For a further celebration of poetry, check out K.A. Holt’s novel in verse — a novel told in poems — about Kate and Tam’s discovery of a unique friendship. At first, Tam thinks Kate is a stereotypical cheerleader, and Kate thinks Tam is just another jock. But Tam soon sees that Kate is goofy, sensitive, and lonely; and Kate sees that Tam is the kind of person she’d like to be. Through their friendship with each other, both girls learn more about who they are and who they want to be.
More to the Story
Jameela wants to be an award-winning journalist, so when her school newspaper assigns her to profile a new kid at school, she wonders how she can make the story exciting enough to enter a national contest. But then her dad takes a six-month job overseas, and her younger sister’s health declines. And when her desire for recognition and awards almost puts her new friendship at risk, she has to decide what really matters most to her.
Cub
When 12-year-old Cindy earns an internship at a local newspaper in the early 1970s, a female reporter takes her under her wing. Cindy learns to write an intro, question authority, and assert herself in a world run by men. And as the Watergate scandal unfolds, Cindy begins to see how brave reporting can topple a corrupt leader in this graphic novel based on the author’s life.
The Mindfulness Journal for Teens
If you’ve read enough about writing and want to do some writing of your own, pick up this guided journal. It’s packed with exercises to help you calm and center yourself — perfect for the stress and uncertainty you might be feeling during the Covid-19 pandemic. And there are lots of questions with blank writing sheets to help you explore your feelings, too.
More Writing Books for Girls
In The Newspaper Club by Beth Vrabel, Nellie is determined to start her own newspaper to cover rampant vandalism after the town’s newspaper folds.
Alice is more interested in writing about adventures than having them herself … until she decides to take two of her friends “off grid” in the Scottish Highlands to meet up with her father who lives on a remote island in A Talent for Trouble by Natasha Farrant.
If you dream of becoming a best-selling author one day, dive into Boss the Bestseller List like J.K. Rowling by Caroline Moss, the true story of Rowling’s life and rise to fame.
Jane Austen for Kids: Her Life, Writings, and World by Nancy I. Sanders is not a typical biography. Along with the story of author Jane Austen’s life, it includes instructions for making a top hat, a play you can perform, and more!
What about you? Have you read any of the books above? What are your favorite writing-related reads? Let me know in the comments below!