Customer Reviews

We Are Girls Who Love to Run / Somos Chicas Y a Nosotras Nos Encanta Correr (We Are Girls) (We Are Girls) (English and Spanish Edition)

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We Are Girls Who Love To Run is a bilingual English/Spanish children's picturebook, told in first-person perspective by young girls who enjoys running for health and for fun. "I am beautiful. When I smile, my eyes sparkle, and my spirit glows for the world to see. Freckles parade across my face. My arms and legs are graceful as I circle the track." Far more than a standard picturebook, We Are Girls Who Love To Run encourages finding joy in life through exercise, and impresses the value of self-confidence rather than allowing oneself to become obsessed with unrealistic Hollywood ideals of beauty. The colorful illustrations, done in a soft yet realistic style, show young women from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds experiencing a shared joy in running. A wonderful and uplifting story; the final page has an assortment of true-life quotes from women young and old who love to run.

Parents and teachers are prone to telling young boys and girls what they can become. We tell our youngsters that they can become a veterinarian, a professor, a fireman, or the first female president. Brianna Grant, in her thoroughly engaging children's book We Are The Girls Who Love To Run, takes a different approach. She reminds young girls of what they already are - strong, beautiful, loveable, and valuable.
The book is centered around an Everygirl character, not a Chelsea, Rebekkah, or Tina. Some children may wonder why the girls in the story have no names, but that absence of specifics is a strength. The girls are all girls everywhere, all imbued with the same potential and possibilities. Even Nicholas Wright's illustrations, full of color and inertia, have an indistinct quality that precludes identifying any one girl with any one trait. All girls, both as characters and readers, are thus integrated into a sense of community. They run, shop, help, and share together.
Grant has chosen an appealing array of adjectives and verbs to characterize the girls. They are vibrant and boisterous. The smiles are radiant. The girls squeal and gaze. Hearts soar, minds sharpen, health shines, and freckles parade across the face. Children will love the sound and feel of these words, and many children will quite probably learn a word or two.
Every page has an accompanying Spanish translation of Grant's text. For non Spanish speakers, it's an opportunity to learn some vocabulary. More importantly, perhaps a target audience is reached, an audience eager to hear a message of optimism, hope, and empowerment. That the message is conveyed via the avenue of running simply adds to its universality and power. Almost anyone can run, which is why running is such a useful metaphor for striving, succeeding, and sharing. We Are The Girls Who Love To Run is a book that will help young girls realize not what they can become, but the beauty of what they already are.

I just bought this book for my daughter and was thrilled with the positive messages and beautiful illustrations. It really celebrates individuality and encourages kids to be healthy, happy and confident without the pressure to be "perfect" they tend to feel from other media. I wish it had been around when I was a kid!

How refreshing to read a book for girls that focuses on what truly matters: What's inside that makes every girl unique, confident, and beautiful, and not what she looks like on the outside. Brianna Grant's book -- with its warm, engaging illustrations -- shows girls having fun, celebrating with each other, and encouraging and supporting one another in a sisterly way. It also serves to remind girls that they are strong, self-reliant, successful, loveable, and so much more!

My girls love this book! Whenever they're feeling unsure of themselves we sit down to read it together and it helps remind them that they can do anything and be anything they set their hearts and minds to. Brianna's message works for girls of all ages, be they runners or not!

Mardi Rezoski
Mom of two daughters
Youth soccer coach

The beautiful artwork portrays not only text of the book but encouraging heart to heart
communication of individual thoughts and the bonding of friendships.
The intrinsic dynamics are for all women/girls whatever their choice of activity.

Sue
Excellence in Physical Education Award
Florida Association of Physical Education and Dance Program Award

Bought this to read to my girls. It has spawned many conversations about running and sports in general, but also questions of esteem and the possiblity of choosing running as a coping strategy when the going gets rough.

This book was a gift for my nine year old daughter after she joined a running club. I almost cried the first time I read it. I had all my friends with daughters read it. It is well loved by both of us!