My Little Brave Girl

K-Gr 2–This brief, charming book conveys empowering messages addressed to all young daughters beginning to explore the world and learning their own strength of heart. Duff writes with a parental love, teaching the values of kindness and quietly marveling at the compassion and determination of a young white girl with blond hair growing up to become whatever she wishes to be. Though the words of encouragement and advice are general—“Flavors will dance across your tongue, my little brave girl, and you will enjoy the delicious adventure”—they are true to the nature of the book: a simple gift of support to any daughter. The words sit unobtrusively in each scene, but the reader’s wandering eye will find them as they take in the graceful illustrations, slowing one’s reading to a measured pace that intends for the words to linger, few though they are. The illustrated scenes feature five unnamed girls of different races who play together as close friends or enjoy solitary, everyday activities outdoors and inside their homes. Clean watercolor and colored pencil illustrations of muted pastel colors are softened and warmed by the delicate composition of flowing angles and waving lines that act as contours and texture, even within features of water, grass, and sky.