THE BEST LEADERSHIP BOOKS FOR KIDS AND YOUNG GIRL ENTREPRENEURS
Unlock your aspiring girlpreneur’s leadership skills with the help of these books.
Today’s girls are the leaders of tomorrow. While it’s true that some girls are natural-born trailblazers, it’s also true that most girls can become great leaders with the right mindset and guidance. Just like the entrepreneurial mindset, leadership is a learnable skill. A skill that allows budding girlpreneurs to strengthen positive traits and qualities, from having a vision to motivating others to listening to feedback without judgment. We’ve got some great leadership book recommendations to help your future girl boss develop her entrepreneurial and leadership skills.
The Questioneers: Picture Books by Andrea Beaty
Recommended for ages 5+. Rosie Revere, Engineer, Ada Twist, Scientist, and Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, from The Questioneers picture book series feature diverse female characters as positive role models who pursue all kinds of passions and interests, like STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and activism. The fun-to-read rhymes in these creatively designed books are full of inspiring messages about believing in yourself, problem-solving, and learning from failures. Plus, the books include scientific and historical facts and lessons applicable in real-life situations. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
What Does It Mean to Be an Entrepreneur? by Rana DiOrio and Emma Dryden
Recommended for ages 4 to 8. Part of the critically-acclaimed What Does It Mean to Be…? book series, What Does It Mean to Be an Entrepreneur? makes the concept of entrepreneurship relatable and accessible to young readers everywhere. And thanks to the book’s protagonist, a young girl named Rae who comes up with a new way to wash dogs, readers find out that being curious, exploring different ideas, and taking charge can solve any problem. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
Girls Who Run the World: 31 CEOs Who Mean Business by Diana Kapp
Recommended for ages 10+. Girls Who Run the World inspires the next generation of young girl entrepreneurs by featuring 31 women CEOs and sharing their success stories and how-to startup tips. This collection of profiles also empowers young girls to be more fearless in the business world so that more future female founders can follow in their footsteps. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
Recommended for ages 8 to 12. Team Players reinforces the importance of diversity and inclusivity in any setting, including a sports team. The book’s main character, Cassie Bennett, is an athlete who’s great at leading her softball team to victory. But she faces a challenge when a girl with Aspergers wants to join the team. This book’s readers discover what it takes to become an inclusive leader and a champion of different perspectives. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
Rebel Girls Lead: 25 Tales of Powerful Women by Rebel Girls
Recommended for ages 6+. From the team behind the award-winning Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls book series, Rebel Girls Lead features 25 women leaders in politics, business, sports, entertainment, activism, and other industries. Written in fairy-tale format, this book shares the women’s lessons on leadership, bravery, determination, and vision. The book also encourages young girls to self-reflect and answer a post-reading activity, “What kind of leader are you?” Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
The Confidence Code for Girls by Claire Shipman, Katty Kay, and JillEllyn Riley
Recommended for ages 8 to 12. The Confidence Code for Girls is an empowering, entertaining guide from the bestselling authors of The Confidence Code that gives girls the code to becoming bold, brave, and fearless. The companion book, Living the Confidence Code, highlights some extraordinary role models, who are gritty and far from perfect. They take risks, sometimes doubt themselves, and even fail, but through it all discover what matters most to them and found the confidence to accomplish their goals. And girls can discover their own confidence with a fun and empowering journal based on the books. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.
The Startup Squad (Book 1) by Brian Weisfeld and Nicole C. Kear
Recommended for ages 8 to 12. Our very own series opener for The Startup Squad series, The Startup Squad helps readers understand why leadership and teamwork skills matter in school and even in a lemonade stand competition. The book’s characters, Resa, Amelia, Harriet, and Didi, struggle with their lemonade stand business and realize that resilience and friendship are keys to their success. Practical business tips and an inspirational profile of a young girlpreneur are also included in the book. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop or get an autographed boxed set of all three books in the series here.
Leading takes practice. With your encouragement, and her exposure to opportunities and resources, your girlpreneur will get comfortable leading and will never stop developing her skills. She’ll also realize what it takes to become both an entrepreneur and a leader and find the courage to make new mistakes to learn from. And if you’re looking for summer activities to help her build her leadership and entrepreneurial skills, check out our list of entrepreneurial summer camps.
If you think we forgot any great leadership books for kids, let us know in the comments section below. Or, share your personal faves with us on social media.
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