I grew up and left a small town in the south. I have neices (7, 9 and 11) who are still living there. In my experience, this town was limiting and closed minded. It was especially hard to be a little girl there. The girls also have a fairly chaotic home life and attend an evangelical school.
I'm looking for book recommendations that would provide a good escape. I would love books that help expand kids' perspectives outside of their hometowns, encourage critical thinking or thinking outside of the mainstream small-town narrative, or encourages self esteem and big dreaming in little girls.
I'm especially interested in books for the 7 year old, who just started the chapter book phase. She's loving Junie B Jones.
I read books like a fictionalized Cleopatra diary at that age, which showed a girl finding her independence and behaving "badly" while also teaching some history. Books like that, or like The Fairys Mistake which turned troupes on their head and gets you thinking outside the box.
Any recommendations would be wonderful!
by MystofHogsmeade