Feel the flame by Lochana Radaliyagoda. Illus. by Juliette Dudley

Seventeen year old author Lochana Radaliyagoda has written a thoughtful story encouraging young girls to dream big. Her story advocates a strong belief that girls can aspire to do what ever they want and once that flame is fuelled there is no stopping them.

This narrative is told through the eyes of Princess Lana who discovers in her extensive castle library that boys are prominently featured in positions of power and held in high regard in her kingdom, whereas girls are not considered in the same way. She begins to question whether this is the way across all countries and decides to travel the world.

Princess Lana travels through Pakistan and hears the voice of Malala Yousufzai who fought for the right for girls in her country to go to school. In Sweden, the passionate voice of Greta Thunberg is heard encouraging people to act for climate change. In Australia, Princess Lana hears the words of Julia Gillard: ‘Nuture your sense of self, who you are in your own eyes, and not who you are in others.’ Finally in the US, she hears Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s important words which began as spark from her own mother.

On returning home, Princess Lana’s new ideas are not welcomed by her parents but she continues to share her beliefs that girls can do anything with as many as possible in her kingdom. Her fire from within will hopefully spark a fire in others.

This story is an engaging read with a strong and important message to be shared in a gentle yet powerful way. The illustrations in a soft palette beautifully capture the mood and emotions of the story. There is additional information about each of the four role models mentioned and a suggestion for further reading.

Themes: Girls, Stories, Perseverance, Achievements.

Kathryn Beilby