Renowned author Sally Morgan – famous for her unforgettable autobiography My Place – has written an inspiring collection of quotes for teen girls. In Girls Can Fly, she covers topics such as appreciating your uniqueness, self-love, anger, careful choice-making and trusting yourself.
Illustrator Ambelin Kwaymullina is Sally Morgan’s daughter. Her vibrant, rainbow wings embossed on the cover and bright, colourful backgrounds throughout will appeal to teens, carrying all the sunshine needed to inspire and uplift girls during these challenging years. Each left-hand page features an Indigenous design to highlight each quote, accompanied by more detailed advice on the right-hand page. This advice is encircled by cute drawings of butterflies, stars, hearts, birds and suns.
The book is small and lightweight, which makes it accessible for a quick flick to brighten a girl’s day or to carry anywhere she may need a pick-me-up. While the teen years can be tough – there is so much uncertainty, self-consciousness and figuring out where one fits in the world – every so often, a little inspiration can go a long way.
Make sure you also check out the back of the book, where you’ll learn about the wonderful work of the Kimberley and Pilbara Girl program, designed to instigate positive change for young Indigenous women. The participants of this program gave valued feedback on an early draft of the manuscript, enabling Morgan and Kwaymullina to create a handbook with content and style that is relevant to girls today.
While a perfect gift for teens and preteens, Girls Can Fly will be loved by girls young and old.
My 7-year-old and I both want this cheery little book to sit on our own desks – and you can guess who won the battle!