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Cool Girls of Children's Literature

In May of 2006, I put out a call on my blog for Cool Girls from Children's Literature. I defined cool as smart, brave, strong, and independent. Several iterations later, with many suggestions from visitors to my blog, here is the list of Cool Girls from Children's Literature. Below I list the top 20 first (by votes), and then the complete list, more than 200 strong. Happy reading!

The Top 20

  1. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (8 votes)
  2. Lyra from the His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman (7 votes)
  3. Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (6 votes)
  4. Laura Ingalls from the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder (6 votes)
  5. Harriet M. Welch from Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (5 votes)
  6. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling (5 votes)
  7. Turtle from The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (5 votes)
  8. Arrietty from The Borrowers series by Mary Norton (4 votes)
  9. Meg from A Wrinkle in Time (and sequels) by Madeleine L'Engle (4 votes)
  10. Nancy Blackett from Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (4 votes)
  11. Ramona Quimby from the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary (4 votes)
  12. Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (4 votes)
  13. Annabeth from The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (3 votes)
  14. Charlotte from Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (3 votes)
  15. Claudia from From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (3 votes)
  16. Harry Crewe from The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (3 votes)
  17. Ivy from The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (3 votes)
  18. Sara Crewe from A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (3 votes)
  19. Suzy Turquoise Blue from the The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix (3 votes)
  20. Tiffany Aching from The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett (3 votes)

The Full List To Date: 200 Cool Girls

  1. Aerin from The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
  2. Alanna from The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce
  3. Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
  4. Allison from Active Enzyme Lemon-Freshened Junior High School Witch by Wallace Hildick
  5. Alyce from The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
  6. Amy from The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes
  7. Anastasia Krupnik from the series by Lois Lowry
  8. Anna from As Simple as Snow by Gregory Galloway
  9. Annabelle from No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
  10. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
  11. Ana from Anatopsis by Chris Abouzeid
  12. Anidori–Kiladra Talianna Isillee from The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
  13. Annabel Andrews from Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
  14. Annabeth from The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  15. April from The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  16. Arabella from The Windmill Summer by Hila Feil
  17. Arrietty from The Borrowers series by Mary Norton
  18. Babymouse from Babymouse: Queen of the World! (and sequels) by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
  19. Belinda from Little Plum by Rumer Godden
  20. Bella from Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley
  21. Bella Swan from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  22. Betsy Ray from Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
  23. Bonnie from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
  24. Boots from the Gregor The Overlander series by Suzanne Collins
  25. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
  26. Cam Jansen from the series by David A. Adler
  27. Carly from The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
  28. Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  29. Cassie from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and sequels by Mildred D. Taylor
  30. Catherine from Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
  31. Catherine from Rules by Cynthia Lord
  32. Cathy and Diane from the Macdonald Hall series (e.g. This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall) by Gordon Korman
  33. Cedar B. Hartley from The Slightly True Story Of Cedar B. Hartley by Martine Murray
  34. Charlotte from Charlotte's Rose by A. E. Connon
  35. Charlotte from Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
  36. Christina from the Flambards books by K. M. Peyton
  37. Cimorene from Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
  38. Claudia from From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
  39. Coraline from Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  40. Coriander from I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
  41. Corinna Stonewall from The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley
  42. Daisy from How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
  43. Darrell Rivers from the Malory Towers series by Enid Blyton
  44. Dicey from Homecoming and Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt
  45. Dido Twite from Black Hearts in Battersea and Nightbirds on Nantucket (among others) by Joan Aiken
  46. Dimple Lala from Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier
  47. Dorothy Gale from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  48. Dorrie the little witch from the series (Dorrie and the Haunted Schoolhouse, etc.) by Patricia Coombs
  49. Eilonwy from the Prydain Chronicles (e.g. The Castle of Llyr) by Lloyd Alexander
  50. Elizabeth from The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
  51. Elizabeth Ann from Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
  52. Ella from Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
  53. Ellie from Squashed by Joan Bauer
  54. Eloise from the series by Kay Thompson
  55. Emma Tolly from the Charlie Bone Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo
  56. Emily from Emily of New Moon (and sequels) by L. M. Mongtomery
  57. Fane and Emily from The Doll in the Wall by Angela Bull
  58. Francie by Karen English
  59. Francie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
  60. Frances from A Bargain for Frances (and others) by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban
  61. Franny K. Stein from the series by Jim Benton
  62. Gilly Hopkins from The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
  63. Harriet M. Welch from Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
  64. Harry Crewe from The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
  65. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
  66. Henny (Henrietta) from All-of-a-kind Family by Sydney Taylor
  67. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
  68. India Opal Buloni from Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
  69. Ingrid Levin Hill from the Echo Falls books (starting with Down the Rabbit Hole) by Peter Abrahams
  70. Irene from The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
  71. Ivy from The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  72. Jane Stuart from Jane of Lantern Hill by Lucy Maud Montgomery
  73. Jane from The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
  74. Jenna from Septimus Heap, Book One: Magyk by Angie Sage
  75. Jenna Blake from the Body of Evidence series (starting with Body Bags) by Christopher Golden
  76. Jennifer from Jennifer, Hecate, MacBeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth by E. L. Konigsburg
  77. Jerusha Abbott from Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
  78. Jessie from The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
  79. Jill Pole from The Silver Chair and The Last Battle (Narnia books) by C. S. Lewis
  80. Jinny Manders from the Jinny at Finmory (e.g. The Magic Pony) series by Patricia Leitch
  81. Jo Bettany from The Chalet School Series by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
  82. Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  83. Josie Alibrandi from Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
  84. Judy from Judy's Journey by Lois Lenski
  85. Judy Moody from the series by Megan McDonald
  86. Juli Baker from Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
  87. Julia from Night Daddy by Maria Gripe
  88. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
  89. Junie B. Jones from the series by Barbara Park
  90. Karana from Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
  91. Kate from The Good Master and The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy
  92. Kate from Look Through My Window by Jean Little
  93. Kate from Sensible Kate by Doris Gates
  94. Kate Sutton from The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Pope
  95. Katie from Hoofbeats: Katie and the Mustang by Kathleen Duey
  96. Katie John from the series by Mary Calhoun
  97. Keladry of the Protector of the Small Quartet (starting with First Test) by Tamora Pierce
  98. Kira from Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
  99. Kit from Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan
  100. Kit Tyler from The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
  101. Kizzy Lovell from The Diddakoi (or Gypsy Girl) by Rumer Godden
  102. Koly from Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
  103. Laura Ingalls from the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
  104. Leaf from the The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix
  105. Liesel from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  106. Lilly from Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and other books by Kevin Henkes
  107. Lily from Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
  108. Lina Mayfleet from The City of Ember and The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau
  109. Lirael by Garth Nix
  110. Liyana Abboud from Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye
  111. Lola from The House of Stairs by William Sleator
  112. Lou Emma Miller from the series (for example Does Anybody Care About Lou Emma Miller?) by Alberta Wison Constant
  113. Lucy from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C. S. Lewis
  114. Luxa from the Gregor The Overlander books by Suzanne Collins
  115. Lyra from the His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
  116. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
  117. Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
  118. Margaret from Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
  119. Margaret Thursday from Thursday's Child by Noel Streatfield
  120. Martha from both the The Little House in the Highlands and Little House by Boston Bay series by Melissa Wiley
  121. Martha from The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom
  122. Martha Sowerby from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  123. Mary Lennox from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  124. Matilda by Roald Dahl
  125. Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman
  126. Maximum Ride from Maximum Ride : The Angel Experiment and Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson
  127. Meg from A Wrinkle in Time (and sequels) by Madeleine L'Engle
  128. Meg from The President's Daughter (and others) by Ellen Emerson White
  129. Meggie from the Inkheart books by Cornelia Funke
  130. Meggie from Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff
  131. Melanie from The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  132. Melinda from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
  133. Menolly from Dragonsong (and others Pern books) by Anne McCaffrey
  134. Mercy from The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
  135. Mia from The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
  136. Minnow from The Seventeenth-Street Gang by E. C. Neville
  137. Miri from Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
  138. Miriam Williard from Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare
  139. Miss Bianca from The Rescuers books by Margery Sharp
  140. Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
  141. Molly Moon from Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng
  142. Nancy Blackett from Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
  143. Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
  144. Nickie from The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne Duprau
  145. Nita from the Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane
  146. Nory Ryan from Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff
  147. Nymah Rose from East by Edith Pattou
  148. Olivia by Ian Falconer
  149. Omakayas (or Little Frog) from The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
  150. Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  151. Parvana from Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
  152. Pat of Silver Bush by L. M. Montgomery
  153. Penny Gareth from The Growing Summer by Noel Streatfield
  154. Petra from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
  155. Petrova Fossil from Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
  156. Philippa Gaunt from the Children of the Lamp series (starting with The Akhenaten Adventure) by P. B. Kerr
  157. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
  158. Polly from Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
  159. Pony from Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner
  160. Portia from Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
  161. Rachel Pye from Ginger Pye and Pinky Pye by Eleanor Estes
  162. Ramona Quimby from the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
  163. Randy from the Melendy books (starting with The Saturdays) by Elizabeth Enright
  164. Reason Cansino from Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
  165. Roberta (Bobbie) from The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
  166. Robin from The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  167. Rosamund from Nate The Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
  168. Rose Rita Pottinger from The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring by John Bellairs
  169. Rosie Brine from the Maida books by Inez Haynes Irwin
  170. Sabriel by Garth Nix
  171. Sabrina and Daphne from The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detectives series by Michael Buckley
  172. Sal from Blueberries for Sal and One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
  173. Sally from the Encyclopedia Brown books by Donald Sobol
  174. Sammy Keyes from the series by Wendelin Van Draanen
  175. Sara Crewe from A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  176. Sarah from One Morning in Maine by Lucy Frank
  177. Sara from The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
  178. Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  179. Skye from The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
    1. Simone from A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
    2. Sophie from The BFG by Roald Dahl.
    3. Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
    4. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
    5. Sumiko in Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
    6. Sunita Sen from The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen by Mitali Perkins
    7. Susannah Simon from the Mediator books by Meg Cabot.
    8. Suzie from The Rebel Witch by Jack Lovejoy
    9. Suzy Turquoise Blue from the The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix
    10. Sylvia from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
    11. Tacy from Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
    12. Tally Youngblood from the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
    13. Tia Malone/Castaway from Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key
    14. Tiffany Aching from The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
    15. Tish Sterling from The Keeping Days by Norma Johnston
    16. Trissy from I, TRISSY by Norma Fox Mazer
    17. Trixie Belden from the series by Julie Campbell
    18. Trot from The Scarecrow of Oz and other Oz books by L. Frank Baum
    19. Turtle from The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
    20. Velvet Brown from National Velvet
    21. Vesper Holly from The Illyrian Adventure by Lloyd Alexander
    22. Vicky Austin from Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle
    23. Violet from the Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket
    24. Winnie from Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
    25. Zoe from A Room on Lorelei Street by Mary A. Pearson

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    My Recent Reads

    • King, Laurie R.: Beginnings: A Kate Martinelli novella

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    • Haig, Matt: The Midnight Library: A Novel

      Haig, Matt: The Midnight Library: A Novel

    • Vengoechea, Ximena: Listen Like You Mean It: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection

      Vengoechea, Ximena: Listen Like You Mean It: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection

    • Johnson, Maureen: Nine Liars (Truly Devious)

      Johnson, Maureen: Nine Liars (Truly Devious)

    My Daughter's 2020 Reads

    • Meyerhoff, Jenny: Playing Cupid: A Wish Novel

      Meyerhoff, Jenny: Playing Cupid: A Wish Novel

    • Eulberg, Elizabeth: Better Off Friends

      Eulberg, Elizabeth: Better Off Friends

    • Nelson, Suzanne: Donut Go Breaking My Heart: A Wish Novel

      Nelson, Suzanne: Donut Go Breaking My Heart: A Wish Novel

    • Nelson, Suzanne: Cake Pop Crush: A Wish Novel

      Nelson, Suzanne: Cake Pop Crush: A Wish Novel

    • Nelson, Suzanne: You're Bacon Me Crazy: A Wish Novel

      Nelson, Suzanne: You're Bacon Me Crazy: A Wish Novel

    • Sell, Chad: Doodleville

      Sell, Chad: Doodleville

    • Nelson, Suzanne: Hot Cocoa Hearts: A Wish Novel

      Nelson, Suzanne: Hot Cocoa Hearts: A Wish Novel

    • Morrison, Megan: Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel (Tyme)

      Morrison, Megan: Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel (Tyme)

    • Eliopoulos, Christopher: Cosmic Commandos

      Eliopoulos, Christopher: Cosmic Commandos

    • Colfer, Chris: A Tale of Magic...

      Colfer, Chris: A Tale of Magic...

    • Nelson, Suzanne: Shake it Off: A Wish Novel

      Nelson, Suzanne: Shake it Off: A Wish Novel

    • Mass, Wendy: 11 Birthdays: A Wish Novel

      Mass, Wendy: 11 Birthdays: A Wish Novel

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    • All posts on this site are (c) 2006-2020 by Jennifer Robinson. All rights reserved. I also specifically reserve the right to delete comments made on this blog for any reason, particularly if they contain blatantly commercial or offensive language, and/or do not contribute to the discussion at hand. I reserve the right to delete promotional material included within the text of comments.

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