The Girls' Book of Wisdom: Empowering, Inspirational Quotes from Over 400 Fabulous Females

Writing is how I process existence; it's how I make meaning out of my life. ~Ellen McLaughlin Catherine Dee has created empowering collections of quotes in her "Girls' Book" series. Through quotes and short notes she explains why being positive is a tried and true strategy, why you should set goals and how solitude can increase creativity. She explains the importance of spirituality and how to add practical items like walking out in nature to your daily routine. The entire book is really about balancing your life. You may find yourself inspired to start a journal. You may find out some interesting facts about Tyra Banks and her love of going to movies alone. I loved the quote by Renee Zellweger when she explains how much she loves to be out in nature. You will also find quotes by Miss Piggy, Goldie Hawn, Sark, Calista Flockhart and Rebecca West. There are quotes by scientists, musicians, executives, writers, actors, athletes, doctors, Internet pioneers, world leaders, daughters and moms. The quotes will help you to understand life, feel more confident and build good relationships. ~The Rebecca Review

"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.

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!

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!

Dee's book is all about girl power! It includes quotes from women and girls that inspire and empower. The book speaks to grownups as much as it does girls. I'm 32 and got a copy for myself. Reading a page a day is a great way to get an extra burst of energy and "can do" attitude. For girls, these quotes will help build self-esteem and a strong, healthy sense of identity.