The Importance of Reading For Girls { + a Faithgirlz Review}

**Thanks to Family Christian for sponsoring today's post. All thoughts are my own.

From as early as I can remember, I have been a bit of a bookworm. While the other kids were running around riding bikes or playing tag, I could often be found sitting on the porch swing with my nose in a book. While the girls my age were requesting Barbies for Christmas, I was instead asking for books (though I did enjoy Barbies too, of course!). This is a love that has stayed and grown with me throughout the years, and as I watch my 2 year old daughter, it is one that I hope I will have passed onto her as well. So much of who I am today, is because of those many books that I read as a young girl, and I am ever so thankful to have had parents who encouraged that love in me as well.

As a mother, I truly feel that there is nothing greater that we can do for our children- especially our daughters- than to inspire in them a love of books. Of course, we all know the many reasons books are important for all kids- they aid in focus, increase vocabulary, they exercise their minds... but they do so much more than that too! Today, I'm sharing my own thoughts on the importance of encouraging girls to read, through my very own experiences as a child bookworm.

It inspires creativity. Try to find a writer who doesn't also love to read...give up? Chances are, you won't find one! But it's not just creative writers that reading can inspire. The more you read, the more experiences you have to draw upon. It allows you to open your mind and discover new ideas you never would have thought of on your own.

It allows you new experiences. I grew up in the middle of nowhere. Actually, that's not true...I grew up at the end of nowhere, a dead end gravel road (often referred to as the holler) in the country without so much as a post office. Arcades, bowling alleys? No way. The nearest mall was an hour away. Don't get me wrong, I love the county where I grew up, but the reality was there just wasn't a lot of opportunity for new experiences there. But my books gave me that. I may not have been able to hop on a plane and travel the world, but with each turn of the page I was able to travel through time and place and discover worlds unlike anything I could find in my country homes. Though I am not one who enjoys change, I believe it was through these experiences that I truly found that there was more beyond my little piece of the world and helped me to make the decision to explore it a little more. To be honest, I'm not sure I'd have ever had the courage to leave my home and my family behind to move to California with my husband had I not been as avid a reader.

It keeps boredom at bay. Like I said, I grew up in the country. There wasn't a whole lot of entertainment to be had. We didn't have a lot of money, so no Nintendos to be had in our household, nor did we have cable/satellite for a long time either. We had to make our own entertainment. But when you can open a book and find yourself on a pirate ship or discovering a beautiful garden to make all your own...well, that sure beats any old video game any day! It's hard to be bored with so many grand adventures right at your fingertips.

It inspires strength and independence (and other great character traits). This one of course depends on just the type of book your little one is reading, but I know for me personally I found myself drawn to characters with strong females. These were girls who thrived on adventure, and who looked for the positive in less than ideal situations. These are just the kind of traits I want to teach my own daughter!

As you can see, there truly are many great reasons why we should encourage our daughters to read... but how exactly can we do that? First, it's important to introduce them to reading young by reading to them, of course. But once they are old enough, introduce them to books that will catch their interest. Books that are fun and imaginative. Books that feature characters that you hope they can learn from.

Books like The Good News Shoes series from Faithgirlz:

Join Riley Mae Hart on her adventures as the new spokesgirl for the Swiftriver Shoe Company. Along the way, she learns tough but valuable lessons about family, friendship, and what it means to be a godly young woman.

The Books:
Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Trek
Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids
Riley Mae and the Sole Fire Safari

For me, series were always the greatest. When I fell in love with a character, I wanted to continue to read about them for as long as I possibly could. I wanted to follow them along on all of their adventures. I wanted more.

Now, I may be 28 years old now, but I have to say Riley May was a pretty easy character to fall in love with. She sweet, she's spunky and she loves adventure and fun. I know that she is just the type of character I would have fallen in love with when I was a child. In the first book, we're introduced to this fun character and her new role as the spokesgirl for the Swiftriver Shoe Company. As the series continues, we follow her along all the adventures that this role leads her own, and the many lessons she learns along the way.

Remember how I mentioned I loved that reading gave me a chance to experience all new experiences different from my own? The Good News Shoes series is a great example of this. Most of us will probably not have the opportunity to travel the country as a spokesperson, but through this series our girls will enjoy the experience through Riley. And while their circumstances may be completely different, the lessons Riley learns are valuable to all girls. This is just the type of series I myself would have loved as a young girl, and just the type of book I hope for my daughter to enjoy when she is a little bit older!

But what about the girl who still just isn't interested in reading? How can we make reading more enjoyable for them?

While I loved a great fictional story when I was young, unfortunately, some girls just aren't going to be interested. But don't give up! Reading is reading, so be it fiction, comic books or even age appropriate magazines...just encourage her to read whatever interests her.

Faithgirlz has great options for this too, such as the new book 101 Things Every Girl Should Know:

The editors of Faithgirlz! and Girls’ Life have collected their best advice to help girls take charge and feel confident in a variety of situations, from changing a bike tire to talking to your teacher about a bad grade, from being threatened by a bully to falling down the stairs at school. What do you do when you’re at a party and you don’t know anyone? What’s the formal way to set a table (and why does it matter)? This random collection of problem-solving strategies helps with everyday stuff, big and small. With tips, advice, and lots of humor, this is a book every girl needs.

This book (and others like it), read much like a magazine with vibrant pictures and fun information that is truly just FUN to read. I was reminded of similar American Girl books I recall enjoying as a child, but loved that these feature more faith friendly topics--- without being overly preachy so it still appeals to young girls. This type of fun, quick read is a great way to inspire girls who may not otherwise not be interested to pick up a book and fall in love with reading!

Whether it's going on adventures and inspiring creative thinking, or making it fun and entertaining, encouraging girls to open a book could not be more important! These fantastic books from Faithgirlz are just some of the great choices that can help.

These books and more are available to purchase now from Family Christian.


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Do you have young girls? How do you encourage them to love to read? What other book choices are at the top of their lists?