'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Monday 19 March 2018

Review: Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls

This is the ultimate bedtime story book for girls who dream about changing the world. It profiles 100 amazing women who fought to succeed and make a difference by following their passion against the odds.

Each remarkable story is only one page long and written in simple, easy to follow language, in the style of a fairy tale. Many begin with ‘Once upon a time’ and tell a story about a girl, who had dream and refused to give up.

From cyclists to supermodels, artists to marine biologists, this book covers the full spectrum of amazing achievements of women from the 1600s through to present day.



Each story is accompanied by a full page portrait of the subject of the story. The portraits were painted by 60 talented female artists from all over the world and are just incredible. Each is different, yet captures the essence of its subject in a way that fits perfectly with the style of the book.

I love that these are not just the expected stories we’ve all heard before, but a whole range of women from all time periods and walks of life. There are many there that kids may have heard of, including Serena and Venus Williams, Michelle Obama and Simone Biles, but just as many wonderful stories of women we didn’t know about who were trailblazers in their time or country. From a deaf motocross rider to a spy in World War II, a refugee Olympic swimmer to a Nobel Prize winning scientist, these women are all extraordinary in their own way. 

Interestingly, this book was initially funding through a crowdfunding campaign via the Kickstarter website. The book has become so successful that it has now sold over one million copies, been translated into over 30 languages and a sequel, Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2, has just been released.


Title: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Author: Elena Favilli and Francesco Cavallo
Publisher: Penguin Random House, $35
Publication Date: 1 April 2017
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9780141986005
For ages: 5+
Type: Narrative Non-Fiction