The past few books I’ve checked out of the library lead to the same thought: “If I had a daughter, I would share this book with her.” Maybe one day that will happen. Until then, I share my books with the mothers and fathers out there who want to encourage their daughters to read and to dream.
Rae Carson, Fire and Thorns
Rae Carson receives praise from Tamora Pierce and Cinda Williams Chima, two of my favorite young adult, fantasy authors. She merits the praise. Her series is absolutely lovely and concerns sixteen-year-old Elisa, a girl marked from birth as the “chosen one.” She struggles with the mark and wonders what she, a girl filled with doubt, can do. Elisa finds her way, though, working through not only feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness but also an eating disorder. She ultimately discovers that her being chosen has nothing to do with her and everything to do with performing a service that benefits others.
Cinda Williams Chima, The Shattered Realms
The Shattered Realms follows the descendants of the characters found in The Seven Realms. The latter are excellent reads, so you and your daughter may want to start from the beginning. If not, have no fears. The Shattered Realms stand as a separate unit, with the series reading as origin stories. You will see people come into their power, both natural and magical, as well as face decisions about how to wield it.
Alison Croggon, Pellinor
If you enjoy Terry Brooks or J.R.R. Tolkien, you will likely love Alison Croggon’s series Pellinor. The four books follow Maerad and her brother Hem. Maerad discovers she is destined to defeat the Nameless One, a man who long ago cast off his name to achieve immortality. Maerad knows nothing about her destiny until the arrival of Cadvan, a character who could duel with Allanon for rights as a doom-and-gloom mentor. Croggon sets up her books as a scholarly work, which creates an entirely new and enjoyable level to the series. The approach hearkens to Tolkien. However, it also bears some similarities to The Memoirs of Lady Trent—another great series to share with your daughter, particularly if she likes dragons or anthropology.
Tamora Pierce, The Protector of the Small
I’m working my way through all of Tamora Pierce’s writings because she’s just that good. (I took the same approach with Chima and V.E. Schwab, another good author to share with your daughter or son.) The Protector of the Small follows Kel’s journey toward knighthood, with all the prejudices that go along with being a girl fighting for a place in a traditionally male world. Kel is a treasure for that alone, but she truly stands out because of her embodiment of the ideal knight. Kel defends the weak and stands for what is true and right.
Terry Pratchett, Tiffany Aching
For a humorous addition to this list, you can’t go wrong with Terry Pratchett’s series Tiffany Aching. The books act as a subset of the larger Discworld series and detail Tiffany’s training to become a witch. She encounters fairies that are not lovely or kind but brutal and cruel, as well as other ne’er-do-wells. The wee free men, miniature, blue Scotsmen, accompany Tiffany. (You may have to translate their brogue into English.) You find other notable characters in the series, too, including the fierce Granny Weatherwax and a talking toad.
Are you looking for a specific type of book for your daughter? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll see what I can recommend or find for you.
Image: Garrett (Creative Commons)