Description
Rosemary McCarney, President and CEO of Plan International Canada, has followed up the her popular picture book Every Day is Malala Day with a book for middle grade readers, also inspired by her international development work. Working with Plan, Rosemary helped craft its Because I am a Girl global initiative to end gender inequality, promote girls' rights, and lift millions of girls out of poverty, and helped lead the charge for the United Nations to declare October 11th the "International Day of the Girl" - a day each year to recognize and advocate for girls' rights globally. This book illustrates the Because I am a Girl call to change by telling the stories of individual girls throughout the world. They tell us: "Because I am a girl, I eat if there is food left over when everyone is done" and "I am the poorest of the poor." The later stories are about hope, with chapters like "Because I am a girl, I will share what I know" and " I am the heart of my community" and "I can change the world." Illustrated with Plan's amazing photographs and including "Did You Know" fact sections.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 9 to 13
- Grade:
- 4 to 8
- Reading age:
- 9 to 12
Awards
- Short-listed, Rocky Mountain Book Award
- Commended, Bank Street College's "Best Children's Books of the Year" (Information Book - Biography & Memoir)
- Commended, Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens (Spring 2015)
- Short-listed, Green Earth Book Award - Children's Non-Fiction
- Short-listed, IPPY Awards 2015 - Bronze Medal (Multicultural Non-Fiction Juvenile/Young Adult)
- Short-listed, Amelia Bloomer Top 10 Feminist Books for Young Readers
Editorial Reviews
Together with Plan International, Rosemary McCarney and Jen Albaugh deliver an informative and thought-provoking look at the lives of eight young girls around the world that will warm your heart while stirring up concern.... Readers will be inspired to have a positive impact on the world around them, to stand up for what is right and have a voice.
— ETFO Voice
"...upbeat and empowering."
— Quill and Quire
At times heartbreaking, but, ultimately, hopeful, this book is well suited to middle school readers.
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
A clear call for change as well as a chorus of affirmation that change is possible.
— Kirkus Reviews
"Because I Am a Girl" allows middle grade students to meet many other girls who have faced incredible obstacles to work for change and education and a promising future.
— Midwest Book Review
Young readers may overall appreciate the spirit of the book’s overall optimistic outlook and the initiative’s driving principle that girls can change the world.
— The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
This beautifully photographed book should adorn the shelves of every classroom and library and should be shared with children in the junior and middle grades throughout the world to increase awareness of the Because I am a Girl movement.
— Canadian Children's Book News
The title says it all; this matter-of-fact collection of biographies of girls around the world shines a light on third-world problems and the brave girls and other folks who are trying to find the solutions....Overall, this book would be a great fit for both school and public libraries.
— Kutztown University Book Review
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Librarian review
Because I Am a Girl: I Can Change the World
Because I Am a Girl is a significant resource for teaching Social Justice and Equity with a focus on Gender Equality. The book features young girls from across the globe overcoming a variety of challenges. The first person narratives, vivid photographs, and factual sidebars offering context contribute to the appeal of this non-fiction selection, which can serve as a model for students presenting their own reports on overcoming hardship.
Source: Association of Canadian Publishers. Diversity Collection Selection 2017.
