When society decides to make a change in their worldview, the pendulum tends to swing sharply in its new direction. We try to overwrite old philosophies by doing the opposite of what we were taught.
Women know this well. There’s a modern notion that girls must be strong, tomboyish, and fierce, leaving no room for traditionally feminine interests and style. But author Deb Preston leaves the door open for girls with every type of interest, feminine, masculine, and everything in between with her picture book, Girls Can. Below is my review of Girls Can followed by an interview with Preston.
Girls Can plot summary
Girls Can is a book that speaks directly to the reader, its target audience being girls, about how there is no wrong way to be a girl. Told in positive rhymes, each page asks the reader to define their own personality and then encourages them to pursue any look, hobbies, and eventual careers that appeal to them.
The message
The message to the story is very strong and blunt yet positive. It acknowledges the fact that some people will hold them back while offering support to keep moving forward. I like how it balances traditionally feminine qualities with those that are more traditionally masculine.
We tend to inspire girls to gravitate solely towards the more tomboyish pursuits, simply because that hasn’t always been an option for girls at all. But in recent years, we’ve come to realize that it’s just as harmful to force a girl to go against the grain of their own nature and that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to wear makeup, play dress up, or eventually be a stay-at-home mom anymore than it is to want to become a construction worker or the president of the United States.
The illustrations
The illustrations by James Henry Dufresne have a lot of personality and contain just enough detail to paint a clear picture of each situation. The girls are always in action, whether it’s playing or working. The girls also come in many shapes, colors, and sizes so that it represents many different girls.
They often have a friend with them, showing the readers that they can find others who share their interests or even just share their interests with friends who have other interests. But they still might like to have a friend who will bake them cupcakes or who likes to watch them do tricks on their skateboard.
A personal favorite element of picture book illustrations is when a small character, usually an animal, shows up on each page. This book contains a dog or cat who also plays along with the girls. Sometimes the cat and dog are together. I like anticipating what these animals will be doing on each page, whether it’s posing for a painting or serving as a character in a video game.
Dufresne’s bio mentions that this is his first picture book, and it doesn’t show. His drawings hold up to any other picture book I’ve read.
My recommendation
I recommend Girls Can to school age girls of all types. It’s a great book for them to refer to whenever someone is making them feel bad about themselves and also when they need a reminder that not every girl has to look or act like they do.
Each page contains multiple sentences which makes it a better read for older kids, particularly those who can even it read it themselves. But it’s never too early to start younger girls on the mindset of inclusion and acceptance for both themselves and others.
My rating
An interview with Deb Preston
How long did it take you to write? How many drafts did you go through? Was it hard to come up with the rhymes?
The original draft came to me in bits and pieces over a few days. I’d be drying my hair, think of something I just had to add, and run to my computer to write it down. Over the course of James illustrating, I made maybe 8-10 tweaks, promising him every single time, “This is the final draft, for real this time.”
I’m actually full of rhymes because I’m a nerd. But it was challenging to come up with a few of the words that (a) rhymed, (b) flowed naturally within each stanza’s rhythm, and (c) still felt fitting for the topic and audience.
You wrote in your bio that this book was inspired by your daughter’s confidence in herself. Do you think that children today are more comfortable with themselves, or is it harder to find self-acceptance in the digital age where every thought and photo is judged?
In some ways, we’re getting better at accepting and celebrating our differences. However, all of those differences are now posted to the internet, heavily filtered, and judged by how many likes or views they receive. So, you can be different…but you’d better make it look really good. It’s unfortunately a tough time to be a kid, which is why I wanted so badly to send a positive message out into the world.
What advice do you have to help girls who are feeling discouraged by others about their own looks and interests?
You know, I tell my daughter that she gets it…that girls can look any way, explore any interest, be as sweet or spicy as God made them to be…but that not everyone has figured that out yet and some may never figure it out. It’s not you, it’s them, you know? I encourage her that the best thing she can do is to let her example speak for itself. It’s hard to tell a girl she can’t do something or be a certain way if she already is and it’s working for her.
Which page best describes you?
Some people won’t’ have it, won’t give you a break.
They were raised to think something and that’s hard to shake.
You can’t change their mindset, but you can change yours,
And live an example that’s hard to ignore.
I come from a pretty traditional background. To give you an idea, when I told a family member I wanted to go back to school for my master’s degree, they asked if I wouldn’t want to have a baby instead. From going back to school, to delaying starting a family, to launching my own small business, I’ve taken a lot of steps that people didn’t necessarily understand upfront. I’ve worked hard to really succeed in those areas, believing my example can help change their mind, if not today, one day.
Do you have a favorite line?
Some might think girls are too scared to get hurt,
To go on adventures or play in the dirt.
They may be surprised or feel silly to learn,
That girls don’t have time for all their concerns.
I love the playful confidence, with just a touch of snark.
How closely did you work with James Henry Dufresne on the illustrations? Did you have any guidelines for him to follow?
We worked very closely together. James and I actually both manage teams in the same call center but love to pursue our creative interests outside of work.
While he was working on illustrations, we’d meet every few weeks or so to check in. I told him I wanted lots of diversity so that every girl would feel represented and seen. He was fantastic in considering every character, being careful not to cast them in stereotypical roles and reworking the wheelchair several times to get it just right, down to the tiniest details.
Who came up with the idea to include the cat and/or dog on each page?
That was James. We both came into this book knowing we wanted some sort of backstory to run through every illustration. He thought of using a cat and dog to further illustrate this dichotomy of girly girls and tomboys, both fantastic, both comfortable and confident in themselves, just different. French bulldogs are his favorite type of dog and of course he had to find a way to add a cat. (James loves cats. He even has “LOVE CATS” tattooed across his knuckles.)
What’s next for you?
I have a comedic memoir coming out April 13 called, Learning on the Fly and Laughing Till I Cry: A Journal of Mothering My Daughter From Ages 1-7. It takes a diary-like journey through the early years of parenthood, offering thoughtful introspection some days and gut-busting laughter others.
James and I are also in the middle of working on a follow-up picture book, this one celebrating body positivity and all of the cool ways kids’ bodies can look and function. This book was inspired by a trip my daughter and I took to a water park last summer, where we saw people of all shapes and sizes having the time of their lives.
Author links
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Buy it!
Buy a copy of Girls Can here and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
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