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Women's History Month: Favorite Fictional Females!

3/8/2012

1 Comment

 
As we celebrate Women's History Month here at Green Bean, I thought it would be fun to celebrate a few fictional female characters (and their authors) who've inspired us as well! I sat down this morning to  make a list of the imaginary women and girls who've influenced me throughout the years, and I could hardly narrow it down. Eventually, (after much anguish and deliberation) I came up with a top five.  And as much as I would have loved to include picture book heroines like Olivia the Pig and Miss Rumphius, there just wasn't room. (Maybe I will give the picture book ladies their own list one day.) I do hope you'll share your top five in the comments or let us know in person. Without further ado...

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1. Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery. What can I say? There really is no other female character who has inspired me as much, at so many different stages of my life. From childhood to adulthood, I have considered Anne Shirley a kindred spirit and 'bosom friend.'

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2. Meg Murray from A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle. The Wrinkle series was my first introduction to science fiction as a kid and I've been hooked ever since. Meg was a glasses-wearing misfit, not unlike myself, and her smarts, humor, and fierce loyalty have cemented her in my mind as the ultimate girl sci-fi hero.

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3. Cassie Logan, from Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor. Cassie's kindness, love for her family, and even naivete are what drew me to her as a child, but as an adult, I can't help bu be struck by her willingness to grow and change and face the world head-on, even when everything seems wrong.

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4. Cassandra Mortmain, from I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith. What's not to love about a girl who lives in a tumbledown castle with her quirky, artistic,  (pennyless) parents and sister in the 1920's? Cassandra's narration, wit, true individuality, and her capacity for love, have never failed to make me a blubbery, teary mess (in a good way).

illustration by Lizzie Stewart

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5. Ananka Fishbein and all of the Irregulars, from the Kiki Strike series, by Kirsten Miller. Okay, okay, so this might be cheating a bit. There are six girls. AND I didn't technically find the Kiki Strike books until I was already an adult, but I've been such a fan since then, I just couldn't resist including them. Kiki and all the delinquent girl scouts are pure fun.  Had I read these books as a child, my number one wish would have been to grow up to be a butt-kicking super spy. (Actually, that is still my number one wish.)  The Irregulars are truly superheroes for the modern age.

There were so many others I could've included-- Lyra, Hermione, Ramona, Dorothea, Lizzie Bennet... the list goes on. How's a girl to choose? Ah well. I'm glad we have all month to celebrate them!

-Andrea
1 Comment
outlook help now link
7/29/2013 04:39:30 pm

The artistic pieces that you shared are awesome and each picture got a story to tell and the facial expressions had are awesome. My personnel favorite from the above is Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor. Thank you.

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