Girls can fly by Sally Morgan
![cover image](https://www.readplus.com.au/covers2/girlscanfly.jpg)
Illus. by Amberlin Kwaymullin. Magabala Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781925936759. 48pp.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Sally Morgan and her daughter, Ambelin
Kwaymullina have collaborated to produce a small but pithy tome
studded with vibrant statements for young girls to read and so be
encouraged to fly. Each second page has a few sentences, asking
questions, ending with a statement that reads like a homily or poem,
encouraging the reader to take hold of what they dream, to be proud,
to be a role model and to always have good thoughts. Many encourage
positive thoughts and actions, eschewing dark thoughts, fear,
worries about being a lesser person or the ear worm that settles in
your head filling it with darkness. Many talk about positive mental
health and could well be used in a class where mental health is
being discussed, along with self worth and self image.
This important addition to the books which encourage a positive
outlook is aimed specifically at girls in the middle school, a time
when many children struggle to maintain their equilibrium. A book
such as this will encourage them to think more clearly about who
they are and where they want to be in this world, and this book
would augment programs designed to do just that.
Each page encourages the reader to stop and think, to take hold of
how the few sentences apply to them, and inspire them to be positive
about themselves. Each page is colourful and stimulating, vibrant
and attractively designed, with the facing page having just two or
three words which summarise what is said in the clutch of sentences.
Any could be used as a poster around the classroom: love your
awesome self, girls can do anything, grow a big heart, trust
yourself, being but a few, which will enliven, encourage and gladden
the hearts of the students in your classroom. And for a girl taking
the book from the shelf, finding a quiet spot and reading the pages,
the results could be uplifting. Themes: Participation,
Encouragement.
Fran Knight