Recently I have been putting together a list of books that inspire virtue in girls. Now I may not have daughters of my own yet, but I feel highly qualified to put together this list. 🙂
As a homeschool mom, my mother realized that books would be the best way to teach us. She saved each year so that when the homeschool convention came to town she could take advantage of the book sales and buy new reading material.
One year, she even brought home a set of encyclopedias. (in all reality, I still think encyclopedias are better than the internet!)
But my mom was very careful to chose books that inspire virtue in girls and boys. When we were younger and even into our mid-teens she read the books first and then gave them over to us. By doing so, she knew what her children were reading and she was also able to discus them with us as we were reading them.
I’ve said before that the best thing Mother ever did for us was to homeschool us, and now I’m going to add on here and say the second best thing was to give us good books to read.
A while back, I took the 3 year old to the library while they were in the process of a remodel. The preschool books were right below the school age books and as I glanced over the titles, I was shocked. The vast majority of those books promoted rebellion, witchcraft, promiscuity, and were totally unfit for the children of God to be reading.
At home I went to my book shelf and began pulling out the beloved friends from my childhood and grieved that many of today’s children may never get to read these jewels, because of all the other trash out there that is handed to them on a daily basis.
I was able to find all the books I mention below on Amazon. I have used my affiliate links for those. By purchasing through my affiliate links, you help support the growth of this site at no cost to you. If you do not want to support this site, you may simply clear your cookies before you place your order.
Books that Inspire Virtue in Girls:
Waiting For True Love. This book contains 6 beautifully written and illustrated stories of purity and steadfastness. These stories are set in fantasy genre and are appealing to girls of all ages.
From the three maidens who were given looms on which they were to weave a coat for the prince they were to some day marry, to the young prince who becomes a jester. You and your daughter both will love the wholesomeness and honor of these characters.
Beautiful Girlhood. I was given this book at the age of 13 and there was a writing assignment that my mom gave me with it. Basically I was to read one chapter a week and write down my thoughts on it. (In cursive of course!) The book focuses on old fashioned purity and modesty.
In chapter 19, you will find a conversation between mother and daughter on modesty; “Mrs Vane looked to God for wisdom to rightly answer, and to equip her daughter with enough Christian sense to dress modestly despite the popular trend in fashion.” A great book to read and discus with your young daughters.
The King’s Daughter and Other Stories for Girls. A heartwarming collection of short stories for young girls. The time frame for these stories is the 1870’s. The young girls in these stories are easy for today’s daughters to relate to and the lessons learned are timeless. Virtues such as honesty, welcoming strangers, generosity and others fill these stories.
Princess in Calico. A young girl is invited to leave her poor home with her demanding stepmother and ungrateful half siblings to live in the city with her cousins. There she finds the Lord and learns of his goodness.
When an accident back home happens Katura must make the choice between serving her family or staying in the luxurious life that her cousins offer. This young princess in calico was one of my childhood inspirations in serving my family. There is a wonderful review on Amazon as well.
Mary M. Landis is an author I would recommend many books from. Coon Tree Summer, and Ice Slide Winter follows a large family about their every day life on a farm (think farming Duggards). I read these stories so many times as a child and cannot wait till I have children who will read and enjoy these.
While they are in a list of books that inspire virtue for girls, I would also recommend those two for boys as well.
Other titles that I have read and enjoyed from Mary:
The Treelo Triplets.
Dear Princess.
Trouble at Windy Acres.
Little Jewel Books. (These books are ideal for younger children)
Grandma’s Attic books by Arleta Richardson.
The first 4 books in the series are wonderful for 8-10 year olds, and the next 5 or 6 are more for 10 and up. However I read them all when I was ten and loved them.
She also has an orphan train series that are wonderful for the 10 and up range as well. Just search her name on Amazon and you will find most of the books she has written. I would trust any of her books with our children (whenever we have them).
Speaking of Orphan Train stories, Joan Lowery Nixon has a wonderful series on them. Here are the names of the books in order:
A Family Apart
Caught in the Act
In the Face of Danger
A Place to Belong
A Dangerous Promise
Keeping Secrets
Circle of Love.
These can all be found on Amazon and I highly recommend them, not only for the good clean wholesome story-telling, but also for the history your child will learn, just from reading story books.
Written my my cousin: Catching Raindrops. This simple children’s story follows a young girl during a flood that devastated her family and town. A great story on how she learns to trust God even in the hard times.
This list is getting huge I see, so just a few more authors I love and trust as books that inspire virtue in girls.
- Patricia St. John
- Janette Oke -She has books for younger children as well as for older teens, and is the author of the Love Comes Softly series.
- L.M. Montgomery -Anne of Green Gables Author.
- Trailblazer Books -These are story books that feature Christian heroes such as George Muller, David Livingstone and others.
- Martha Finley -The author of the Elsie Dinsmore Books. There is a quite a bit of controversy concerning the original publications of her books, but the over all opinion of the newer publications on the page that I linked to seem to be a bit more positive. However, I grew up with her books and loved them.
These are all books that I recommend as books that inspire virtue in girls. But I also recommend you read the reviews on these books and decide for yourself if they are the sort of book that you want influencing your daughter.
While you can buy all these books on Amazon, you can also compare prices at Vision Forum, or you could write down a list of books to looks for at half price stores and garage sales. 🙂
Are there books that inspire virtue in girls that you would recommend? Let me know!
Did you like this post? You may also like Good Toys for Young Girls.
Thank you so much for this great list!!
I hope it can be of use to you 🙂
I love the list! I placed a few of them in my cart, too!
Awesome! I know you will really enjoy these books with your family. Some of the ones mentioned are actually great for boys too 🙂
Great list! Beverly Lewis also has 3 great series for girls: Summerhill Secrets, Girl’s Only (GO) and The Cul de Sac Kids. I haven’t read any of the last series, but I’ve read ALL of her other books, so feel pretty confident that it also measures up. :> http://www.beverlylewis.com/books/16-books/youth-fiction
I’ve read the Cul de Sack Kids series and they are pretty good. I guess I personally don’t care much for Beverly Lewis’ writing style, which is why it never even occurred to me to add in her children’s books. But you are right in that those books would be good as well 🙂
She’s my favorite author! We’re all different though! 🙂
I know a lot of people who really like her writings 🙂
I can’t tell if I like Beverly Lewis or not. Her stories always intrigue me, but they are so slow at the same time…
Thank you for this list! I have been looking for good books for my kids to read. We have 6 children 2 girls and 4 boys. If you have suggestions on good books for boys, I would love to see a post on those as well! Thank you!
That was my family growing up, there were 4 boys and my sister and I 🙂
As far as good books for boys, I plan on making a list of them as well, but I will be consulting my 11 year old brother on those. 🙂
He likes to read as well I do, and I can find out which books he loves.
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Thanks for the suggestion!
I so appreciate your list of books that cultivate virtue in girls ~ something that is lacking so much in our culture. There are so many great books how in the world would anyone have time to read anything but the best? I’m re-reading Louisa May Alcott’s books this summer.
I agree! And I too am reading Louisa May Alcott’s books right now 🙂
I wanted to recommend the Betsy Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. They are wonderful wholesome and entertaining books. The series starts when Betsy is 5 and takes her through her first year of marriage. My Mom read the books when she was young, and we read the high school books together. I still read the high school books! The books are semi autobiographical and the new printings have pictures of the “real” Betsy and all of her family and friends. Thanks for this list of books, I’ll have to order some for my daughter.
I have never read those books, sounds like I should at least look at them 🙂
My girls like the “In Grandma’s Attic” series! And I’ve been hoping to read the Elsie Dinsmore series, I’ve heard that it’s wonderful.
I’d recommend “The Princess & the Kiss” by Jennie Bishop for young girls (preschool/early elementary) and its companion, “The Squire & The Scroll”, for young boys. We’ll also be starting the Little House series when my husband is done reading the Chronicles of Narnia to us!
My mom gave me a series of books that had been hers called the “Heroes of the Revolution” by Susan Lee. Abigail Adams is one of the heroes, and so is Eliza Lucas Pinckney – I still have them and my girls enjoy them.
Princess and the kiss is a great book! I haven’t read the other one yet.
And I will have to look up Heroes of the Revolution now too 🙂
Wonderful list! I have only boys but I see a few we have here! For boys I would highly recommend Lamplighter Books and Henty books! BTW I agree homeschooling and good books are wonderful gifts! 🙂
You’re the second person to recommend Henty books and I have never heard of them! But we love Lamplighter!