Girls like me belong anywhere we can dream of being!
Girls Like Me is a simple, brightly illustrated depiction of boundless potential for young girls. It’s a fun read for parents and children showcasing inclusion in careers in STEM and beyond in a couple of important ways. The pages are short and each of the “Girls like me” statements feel rhythmic while also describing the accompanying image in a manner that a young reader could pick up and imagine while reading on their own (for older readers, of course).
One of the biggest aspects of this book that resonated was the illustrations, from how the young girl was represented not only in career, but also in how she shows up, specifically when it comes to the natural hair textures of little brown girls. The pages of the book take care to show little brown girls that you can be a scientist, engineer, doctor, or in the boardroom and still wear your hair the way it grows from your head. There are also illustrations that show the little girl protecting her hair the way many brown girls and women protect their hair, which is a necessary step in normalizing for all audiences how some women of color take care of themselves. The message is a quiet, but powerful one in diverse representation in literature for young readers.
Coming in a very short 32 pages, this read is fun and cute reminder to dream big dreams and not apologize for being who you are.
Find Girls Like Me on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736182900/
For reviews of other children’s books featuring diversity in technology and engineering, see STEM Area: Technology and STEM Area: Engineering.
For reviews of other children’s books featuring gender and racial diversity in STEM, see Diversity Type: Gender and Diversity Type: Race.
For reviews of other books that are great for the 3-8 age range, see Age Group: 3-5 and Age Group: 6-8.
Also see our full STEM listings of books and other resources that feature diversity in STEM.
