The Girls' Book of Wisdom: Empowering, Inspirational Quotes from over 400 Fabulous Females (Paperback)

by Catherine Dee (Author), Ali Douglas (Author) "When you wake up in the morning, do you make a mental note to enjoy the day?..." (more)
Key Phrases: First Lady, Chase Smith, Grizzuti Harrison (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Dee has gathered a collection of "empowering and inspirational" quotations from over 400 famous women and grouped them into 44 categories such as "Friends," "Perseverance," "Happiness," and "Leadership." Each chapter begins with a short motivational piece by the author, who encourages readers to take control of their lives by learning from the words of wisdom to follow. The women whose quotations are highlighted include Anne Frank, Rosie O'Donnell, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. The collection is upbeat and lighthearted, but ultimately wearing when read all at once. (It feels like sitting through a motivational workshop.) Girls will probably want to read certain sections depending on what category of inspiration/motivation they desire and pick out their "quote of the day." The handy size combined with the accessible format will appeal to this age group.
Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Gosh, I wish I knew what (insert your favorite role model here) would do i n my situation." Well, from rock climbers to snowboarders to singers to sailors, wom en of every age, race and profession would like to share a piece of their mind so you can get some peace of mind. The Girls' Book of Wisdom is loaded with motivational and witty quotes on just about everything -- leadership, romance, beauty, success, friends, adventu re and much more. Each quotation includes a brief introduction from the author and is su re to give you some great insight. So the next time you need some advice, turn to Gwyneth Paltrow, Maya Angelou, Lauryn Hill, Miss Piggy, Whoopi Goldberg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Kerr i Strug or whoever else floats your boat. These women will inspire you just when you need it most. -- Karen Bokram, publisher, Girls' Life magazine, October/November 1999

A perfect book for girls, their parents and teachers -- National Women's History Project

A powerful, hilarious, and heart-warming collection of some of today's successful women. -- Indy's Child

Gives girls ideas about how to handle feelings, overcome challenges, and build relationships. It's a book most preteens would enjoy. -- Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times

Great for granddaughters. The Girls' Book of Wisdom features quotes from a dynamic group of intelligent women. Each idea has something positive to offer girls. I intend to send a copy to each of my granddaughters. -- Ann Richards, former governor of Texas

Real quotes of girl-power wisdom from first-, second-, third-wave feminists. . . It's a book to pick up and put down anytime. -- Dallas Morning News

This compact, backpack-size book of quotations is filled with funny, poignant, and often utterly appropriate sayings from a wide range of female cultural icons. ...attractive fonts, funky small graphics, and the mix of historical and modern powerful women will make this choice popular among teen girls. Many libraries might find this gift-sized, paperback book disappearing from the shelves. -- Katie O'Dell, VOYA , April 2000

This is the type of book that can inspire young adults . . . this book could be very popular with adolescent girls. -- Jo Clarke, The Book Report, Mar/April 2000

This page turner is packed with pro-girl quotes. Feeling shy? Flip to the "Confidence" chapter and digest this advice: "Repeat an ego-boosting mantra to yourself: I rule, I rule, I rule." -- Marisa Sandora, Twist magazine, May 2000

What I liked about this book was the quotes -- how they are so real.You think youre alone on something, then you read this and are like, wow, everyone really does go through this! It's like going to a psychiatrist to get help but getting it all out of a quote. It's just awesome! -- SmartGirl web site book reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; 1st edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316179566
• ISBN-13: 978-0316179560
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #146,032 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #23 in	Books > Teens > Religion & Spirituality > Inspirational
  #94 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Situations > Self-Esteem & Self-Respect > Nonfiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect bedside table book, March 20, 2002

By	Teen Connection - See all my reviews

"To think and to be fully alive are the same," said  sociologist and historian Hannah Arendt (1906 -1975).  If that's the case, this book will make you become "fully alive."  This quote is in the chapter titled "Thinking," which joins others on goals, creativity, love and romance, adversity, sports, and many more. All of the quotes are written by women. Most are not so deep that you can't figure them out; just profound enough for you to think or laugh. This book is a fun read.  It's perfect to flip through before you go to sleep, or gulp most of it down in one sitting.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A conversation starter for mothers and daughters, March 23, 2000

By	Gloria (Sacramento) - See all my reviews

When my daughter read the first paragraph (not Chapter 1, just whatever page fell open while I was driving down the street), she immediately said, "Oh, wow, this is good! Well, I had her read it to me and this led to a very interesting conversation that was enlightening for both of us -- for me because I found out what her thoughts were about how girls should act around boys -- for her because she realized that I really had been her age once upon a time and had had similar feelings.

I was pleasantly surprised that she thought it was just fine to share her opinions with boys and not be afraid of what they might think. She said she had hoped they would like and respect her for her opinion but many times that was not what happened and she was considering changing her ways. She thought she was doing it all wrong but the book was confirming her thoughts and she liked that a lot! This opened some good dialogue between us so I could share my feelings and experiences with her and let her know that I agreed with the book. Had it not been for this book, we may not have had that conversation for some time (or maybe not at all), and she may have decided to lean toward being more of a follower than the little leader she seems to be growing into.

An added plus is that, so far, I agree with everything I've read, and when I can say something and she can then read it in a book, that gives more credence to what I've said. Sometimes reading it in a book makes it more real than if a parent says it!

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wit and Wisdom Win Your Heart, October 25, 1999

By A Customer

I picked up a copy of The Girls' Book of Wisdom for my eleven-year-old daughter at an author signing recently. I thought it had just the right look and feel: perky cover art with bright, girlish flowers, and a trio of preteens wearing a variety of expressions I'm relearning is the mood palette of adolescence: uncertainty, elation, challenge.

A tidy little size, too, I thought... just right for backpack, desk drawer, bedside table-anywhere she might tuck a treasure, if it made it to treasure status. It had possibilities. Cheery pen and ink drawings, a simple, open page layout that doesn't warn "This stuff is serious business!" And an overriding optimistic and comforting collection of quotes on subjects concerning girls: beauty, acceptance, mood swings, confidence, goals, dreaming...

I was right. My daughter delved right in. She even read aloud several quotes that made her laugh or sigh. Among my favorites, that I read aloud when it was my turn, were quotes of the women of my generation: Gloria Steinem ("Self esteem isn't everything; it's just that there's nothing without it."); Janis Joplin ("Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got."); Susan Sarandon ("I believe strongly in my own personal magic.")...

We agree on Miss Piggy. She's very together ("Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.").

And so The Girls' Book of Wisdom, with its slightly heavy title (But then I never would have bought The Girls' 365 Days of One-Liners-to-Live-By, or some such) has moved from my daughter's desk to bedside table these several weeks. We've each picked it up from time to time and said, "Hey, listen to this one..." Good book; good choice, I've thought, each time that happens. Makes for good conversation.

But it came to earn its name, The Girls' Book of Wisdom, last week. I've been reeling from a powerful personal loss in my adult life, one I would never expect a young adolescent to understand. My daughter has felt my upset and, being of a sympathetic nature, she's wanted to soothe me. Two nights ago in the middle of an explanation of why I should "cheer up," she told me, "Mom, listen, the more lost you are, the more you have to look forward to."

"That's pretty wise," I said.

"It's from the book, Mom."

"Yeah? Who said it," I asked her.

"Calista Flockhart..."

And there you have what makes this a wise book: the keen editorial sensibilities of Catherine Dee, the creator, because it takes a wise collector to sift through the material of the ages and focus it at the hearts of young girls, tying together strands of advice and philosophy-contemporary and timeless-into a resource that communicates right there in their day-to-day language and lives.

Targeted for an audience of young girls from about 9-16, it's a book I highly recommend for ALL ages. We moms of young adolescents are just lucky! We're discovering it first!