Ambitious Girl

by Meena Harris, Marissa Valdez (Illustrator)

Anyone who's ever been underestimated or overshadowed will find inspiration in this empowering new picture book from Meena Harris, New York Times-bestselling author of Kamala and Maya's Big Idea.

When a young girl sees a strong woman on TV labeled as "too assertive" and "too ambitious," it sends her on a journey of discovery through past, present, and future about the challenges faced by women and girls and the ways in which they can reframe, redefine, and reclaim words meant to knock them down.

As Ambitious Girl says:

No "too that" or "too this"
will stop what's inside us from flowering.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Feminism, Fiction, African American, Self Esteem, Inspirational

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2021

Reviews

[Metteyya Brahmana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I 'almost' bought this book for my four-year-old daughter, but then went to Amazon and took a look inside and read more about the backstory with the family. Certainly, we do NOT want girls or boys to think that they cannot achieve their dreams, and to the extent that this book helps children regardless of gender overcome doubt and fear about what they can achieve, then this book is a positive addition.

The main concern I have is the "empty-suit" encouragement - the idea that ambition in and of itself is all one needs. What I try to encourage my daughter to do is think about what you can contribute first, and 'then' what do you need to do to make that contribution. This makes ambition more of a tool rather than an end. Sometimes your contribution requires collaboration with others as equals or as a role player, not with you as their superior, and there must be room to acknowledge this in any honest discussion about ambition.

What people will remember 'and' be positively affected by long after you are gone is your contribution, not what it took or the position you held when making the contribution. This makes your contribution the focus and center of your life and ambition as "one of many" tools one needs to make the contribution a reality. "Overly ambitious" is not necessarily a gender slur, it REALLY could mean that you do not have much to contribute despite your desire for power and attention.

P.S., Here are the three books I bought instead: (1) I can do hard things: Mindful affirmations for kids (Garcia & Russell, 2018), (2) I am enough (Byers & Bobo, 2018), and (3) Listening with my heart: A story of kindness and self-compassion (Garcia & Hui Tan, 2017). These all entail 'healthy' self-esteem building that does not devolve into narcissism and self-centeredness.

[LaDonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move beyond the author and listen to the message...

Ambition means owning and living your purpose; it means self-determination.

As a Mom and K teacher, I welcome books that encourage and teach empowerment to our younger and developing generations. What does it say about the fact that in the richest nation in the world that we still need these books? What does it say that women, who undoubtedly outnumber men, are least represented in positions of power throughout both the private and public sectors? But, I digress...

What Meena Harris, along with the illustrations of Marrissa Valdez, delivers is another voice in the ever growing canon of books that allow our young girls to find and know their worth.

I'm not afraid to make some noise. I am more than ready to use my voice.

Trust me, I intend to share this book with both my students and young girls that I know. (And, let me not forget the young boys out there who need to learn how to support their sisters, cousins and friends when they attempt to reach for the same things that their male counterparts may want).

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The message is important and the illustrations are excellent. Unfortunately, the writing is a bit uneven. Sometimes it rhymes, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, there is a rhythm to the words, sometimes there isn't.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one. I love the positive message about not fearing that you are "too this" or "too that" to let it slow you down. I like defining persistent and ambitious in a way that makes it easier for young kids to understand. I think it could have been more open and inclusive to all children who are told they are "too something". I adore a great female empowerment story; this one just fell a little flat for me.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harris, once an ambitious girl herself, offers words of encouragement to today's young women and an homage to the ambitious women in her family: her grandmother, mother, and aunt.

[Kim Stock]

Love this! Surround yourself with women who support and cheer you on!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Brilliantly written and illustrated, showing how being a young girl, one should not listen to the labels put upon us, but rather redefine those labels, and reclaim them as our own in order for us to flower.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good message, but this is probably our least favorite of the recent affirming messages picture books we've read lately.

[Emmy Menner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly inspirational book for young girls. There was so much diversity in this book beyond just race. So many young girls and women are represented on the pages, and I LOVE that. There are pages that take you through history and show how much women have accomplished in the last, present and what can be accomplished in the future. The meaning is simple but moving - girls can do and be anything!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Message of the book 5 stars

The actual writing 3 stars

Art 3.75 stars

[Maeve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl sees a woman on TV labeled as "too assertive" and she begins to examine what that means and how she can live her life while being persistent, assertive, confident, proud, ambitious.

[Vanessa Lecaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman should read this

[Cassidy Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text-to-Self Connection:
This book was a great book for a female reader. I think it's really important for girls at a young age know they can do anything that boys can do. Society will sometimes judge women just because of their gender and it's not fair but expected unfortunately. This story reminded me of my childhood because my mom always told me to never settle and push as far as I wanted to go. She told me not to let anyone keep me back and reach for the stars. I was very ambitious as a young girl and I thank my mom for always instilling that into my mind.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fabulous! I cannot wait to share it with my Kindergarteners! This was a gift from Sarah at JHMS. Highly recommended.

Q2021 book.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl power!

[Janevonslain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. I think there is good messaging, but to me it was a story that wants to tell me words instead of share with and show me. I will keep it in my class library because I think that it is a good story to have as a part of a collection, but doesn’t stand alone.

[T K Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book needed more. I suspect it may have been rushed into production.

My expectation was more about accomplishing things that people will inevitably tell you that you can’t do. This blandly written book seemed to be missing the pages that tell all kids they are capable of reaching goals, both small and large. Ambitious Girl is perfect for those who have already achieved something by providing gentle empowerment to fend off the criticisms of being “too ambitious”.

There can never be enough books that let children know they are capable of doing great things despite people who may try to dissuade them. Two Stars for wasting an opportunity by limiting scope of content.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't let anyone tell you who you are. You tell them who you are.

You may be the first someday but don't be the last - make space for more!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great message, obviously, but the meter of the rhyme was off, and I found it distracting from that message. Written by Kamala Harris's niece.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this picture book illustrations created digitally with acrylic touches feature energetic and yes, ambitious girls and women of color who are looking for their places in the world. While books such as this one work to reclaim words that have been used in limit or dismiss girls or women in the past and in the present, there were moments when I had to stop and think about what ambition means and whether it's a good or a bad thing. Then, I had to ask myself if this would even be a conversation that I was having with myself if I were thinking about an ambitious boy or man or if the book had featured a male character. Words like ambitious can hide what others actually think and hint of sexism. As a strong woman myself, I've certainly experienced being criticized for being too much, whatever that means. Thus, I read this picture book with conflicted emotions, pausing at the image of a young girl hearing all the negative comments directed at an outspoken woman politician or speaker, and then taking her admonition to define herself to heart. As she dreams of her own future, she also reflects on the past and those strong women who've gone before, groundbreakers, trailblazers, ambitious women all, and determines to stand on their shoulders while paving the way for others behind her. The text even mentions voice, speaking up, and taking up space, all topics related to females who have felt marginalized or silenced at various times in their lives. The message here is certainly empowering, but I wonder if everyone would define ambition as self-determination as spelled out in the Author's Note. I've tended to see it as both negative and positive since it could be channeled in an altruistic way, but often it's seen as a strong need for power or position or success, which seems somewhat selfish unless it's directed toward the good of others and/or to change the world in some way.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by Kamala Harris's niece even though it's not about her specifically. It was inspired by the strong women in the family and the purpose is to teach girls to turn the negative sexist comments like "She's too ambitious." too this, too that.

"These words try to dim my light.
But Mommy says that words passed down
can build me up to new heights.
Standing tall like a soaring tower,
I am valued. I am loved.
I have purpose, hope and power

No one can tell me who I am
or who I'm meant to be.
Auntie says: "What has always been is all they're able to see. "
I'll take my time,
and claim my place,
and show the world
THIS is me!"

She reclaims the negative terms thrown at her : assertive (I won't back down), persistent (I won't give up), confident (I believe in me), Proud (I cheer for us the world around!)

"Ambitious means all of that and more.
I have goals, but I'm not keeping score.
Ambitious girls, we get things done.
If life's a race, we're ready to run.
If we fall, we get back up.
And if we fail, it's a chance to disrupt."

The illustrations show scenes from the past: suffragettes, Shirley Chisolm for President, Black female astronaut for NASA and a wide variety of people which may have upset the censors. One person wears a rainbow shirt with her arm around a woman. There might be two moms depicted. One women has a Black Lives Matter shirt. At the very end, under the author's note, we finally see "Auntie" Kamala but the author's note doesn't mention her by name. The author's note focuses on how she wants to raise her own daughters.

This book is a must-have for every girl's bookshelf! Especially girls of color. They need hope right now because OBVIOUSLY women are too ambitious for men even now.

[Katelyn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Ambitious Girl
Author: Meena Harris
Illustrator : Marissa Valdez
Genre: Children’s Literature
Theme(s): Breaking gender norms, Self Advocacy
Opening line/sentence : “Don’t let anyone tell you who you are. You tell them who you are.”
Brief Book Summary : In Ambitious Girl, a young girl watches as a woman is called "too assertive" and "too confident" and "too loud," then seeks to use the words designed to silence her as motivation instead. The book shows how to reclaim and reframe words that were once designed to bring them down.
Response to Two Professional Reviews : Both Kirkus Reviews and Vivian Alvarez (American Library Association) find Harris’ book to be empowering and encouraging to all children to overcome obstacles. The book shows that overcoming prejudice is possible and not to let words get in the way of your dreams. Both reviews also agree that the illustrations support the text’s loving and empowering message.
Tell Me Framework :
Like(s): The book empowers young girls to not listen to society and follow their dreams.
Dislike(s): Language could be too abstract for children at times
Patterns(s): The word “too”
Puzzle(s): What does ambition mean?
Consideration of Instructional Application :
This book can aid in debunking society’s gender constructs. It is important in the classroom to teach children that no matter what gender, race, etc that their dreams are valued and obtainable. An activity to follow could include thinking about or drawing what they aspire to be or things they want to achieve.

[Madison Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. Age range (K-3rd)
2. The niece of Vice President Kamala Harris brings us a children's book that empowers young girls to never let the world dull their passion. This book focuses on a young girl on a young girl who refuses to let the world keep labeling women as “too ambitious” or even “too assertive”. This is what she saw a strong woman being called on TV, broadcasted to the world. The moment she saw the way this woman was being depicted, she took it upon herself to reclaim words that are used as insults for women. There is nothing wrong with being an ambitious woman, but the world portrays that it is. The young girl in this book wants to turn these words into compliments because they are in actuality. The importance of women being able to be ambitious, strong, or assertive is something that this book is fighting for, fighting against the idea that women should be meek or unambitious.
3. I chose this book because I love to include books that are about empowering young girl to chase their dreams and be who they are no matter what despite what their dreams are and who they want to be.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love words and the power they have and I will guess I share that love with author Meena Harris. In a country where there have always been incredibly strong, brave, and determined women fighting for our rights, our voices, and our careers there have also been those trying to silence them. This story of a young girl growing up around the noisy negatives yet choosing to embrace the opportunity to use those negatives to gain strength and energy to be strong is needed in our schools and libraries. It is a powerful way to process the noise in our lives that weighs us down and encourage each of us to be strong and continue reaching for our dreams.

Illustrated by Marissa Valdez, Meena Harris' story begs to be shared.

[Kyndal Bard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and the positive empowering message behind it for young girls !!! It tells them to never let anyone tell them that they are too persistent, too loud , too proud , too assertive, too confident , too ambitious , too this , or too that. That is exactly who they should be and instead of letting someone tell them who they are they need to tell everyone who they are themselves instead of listening to someone else. The illustrations are so cute and inclusive and that means a lot to me. This book would be used best with kindergarten- 1st grade. I think this book is more so for pleasure / empowering rather than having a educational meaning behind it which is also important for students !

[Taylor Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this book higher than 5 stars I would. One of the reasons I liked it so much is that it was a mirror book for me. Throughout the whole story, I could feel myself having the thoughts and feelings at one point in my life, that the main character had. It is a great book about female empowerment and confidence. Valdez does a fantastic job on the illustration because it had a big impact on making the words of the book have a mirror effect on them. The background of each set of pages fades and transitions smoothly into the next background. It's very colorful and exciting so I can see myself reading this to a future classroom.

[Mary Thom Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE this book. This book starts off with the end pages in dark, sad colors with phrases young girls are often described as; too persistent, too strong, too confident. As you read the book, you see the girl observing, how women in our society are spoken to in negative manners. This book talks abou the importance of "breaking glass ceilings" and making room for women to succeed. It has great simplified definitions of words such as, persitent, assertive, confident, proud, and abitious. The illustrations are also amazing and show many people of different religions, race, class, genders, all supporting and living amazing lives. The endpages at the end of the book offer supportive, and beautiful affirmations for children, especially young girls. "I am strong", "I am smart and brave" really are great phrases for young girls to be repeating to gain confidence at any age. This book would be amazing for any classroom shelf, as well as a lesson on Women's History Month.

[Morgan Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of my favorite books I have picked up for this class. I love the message, and diversity. The pictures are large and add a lot to the story specifically in the beginning when the girl is looking at the woman on tv. I love that words are use on most of the pages as part of the illustration. This would have been a book I would have enjoyed when I was a young girl and message, I think a lot of young girls need to hear. Something that can be missed on the first read is that the bold blue words the other uses to describe the girl are all words use throughout the book and on the inside cover as bad (too persistent, too assertive, etc.).

[Gia Bittner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some goosebumps and tears for Mama with this one! A little girl sees a woman giving a speech on tv and watches others react to her as “too assertive,” “too confident,” “too loud,” and such. This send the little girl on an exploration of why women are sometimes called those things, the progress that’s been made, and how far we still have to go.

“What has always been is all they’re able to see.”

By the end of the book, the little girl proclaims that she’s ready to take up space and use her voice, and if she’s told she’s “too this” or “too that,” she’ll wear those words with pride. Exactly the message I want my daughter to internalize!

-Mama

[Isabel B Sanchez]

Ambitious Girl follows a young girl who sees a woman on TV being criticized for being “too ambitious.” Curious and confused, she asks her family what “ambitious” really means. Through their explanations, she learns that ambition is not something to be ashamed of but it’s something powerful, brave, and beautiful. The girl discovers that ambition means dreaming big, fighting for what’s right, lifting others up, and believing in your own strength. By the end, she proudly claims ambition as part of who she is, showing young readersespecially girls—that their goals, voices, and confidence should never be dimmed for anyone.