"Favourite Stories of Courageous Girls" introduces some of the gutsiest, most resourceful and most intelligent young heroines ever to grace the pages of classic fiction. Put together as an anthology featuring short bios for the characters themselves, before providing scintillating excerpts from the books in question, it's an absolute work of genius.
From Jo March who sells her hair to raise money for her family, to George's single-minded commitment to protecting her island in The Famous Five to Bobbie's quick-thinking action that prevents a train crash in The Railway Children, these girls demonstrate courage beyond their years.
There are 24 chapters in total, featuring characters and excerpts from amazing books such as Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Five on a Treasure Island, The Railway Children, Jane Eyre, A Little Princess, Pollyanna and The Wizard of Oz, as well as beloved fairy tales from diverse cultures such as The Snow Queen, Kate Crackernuts and White Chrysanthemum.
There's truly something for everyone in this, and it's not just good for girls, it's a rivetting read for boys too!
Sum this book up in a sentence: A fabulous compilation of true classics, and the inspirational female characters that made those books so vital and important a part of our culture.
"Favourite Stories of Courageous Girls" is out now, published by Hodder Children's Books (kindly supplied for review)