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Books of Note is an avenue for lovers of African American Fiction and Nonfiction to read and post book reviews, suggest and discover new titles and to learn more about the Union County Public Library.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Girls Hold Up This World by Jada Pinkett Smith


Reviewed by Gypsy Culp Houston

I read Jada Pinkett Smith's Girls Hold Up This World, years ago, and I thought that it was a very powerful, affirming book for young girls. I vowed that if I ever had a little girl, this would be required reading.

Fast forward a few years, and I finally got the chance to share Girls Hold Up This World with my three year old daughter. She thoroughly enjoyed it, but her favorite part was when I explained that the little girl on the cover was same girl that sings her favorite song, "I Whip My Hair Back and Forth."

While some of the affirming messages of self love and acceptance, were lost on my three year old, she loved seeing pictures of different little girls. Just seeing positive images of girls, many of which were of color, opened up a dialogue between the two of us about all the great things that girls can do and dream and be. This book helped me to explain to my daughter that being a girl doesn't look like one particular thing. We are all different, we are all valuable, we are all beautiful and we all "hold up this world."

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