Publishers Weekly
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“Raising a child demands imagination and flexibility,” advises sociologist Johnson Dias (Affirming Beauty) in this empowering guide to finding the joy in raising daughters. In four parts (“Who is Your Girl?”; “Who Are You?”; “What is Her World?”; and “Change-Maker”) the author presents a program for “raising self-realized girls,” sharing research by psychologists and pediatricians along the way. In order to help girls become confident agents of change, Johnson Dias writes, parents must help their children determine “who they will be” and cut through cultural conceptions about what girls can be. Assignments appear throughout, such as “make a mirror that reflects your girl,” in which a child and her parents write adjectives on a mirror as a “reminder of who she really is.” She also suggests helping fuel girls’ imaginations by letting children make their own decisions about the kinds of books they want to read. Along with her tips, the author weaves her story as a mother of a teenage daughter who is also an activist and writer. Johnson Dias’s forthright advice successfully calls upon parents to join their girls in creating the changes they wish to see. Her wide-ranging guidance shouldn’t be missed. Agent: Regula Noetzli, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. (Mar.)

Library Journal
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Professor, scholar, and leader of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation SuperCamp for Girls, Johnson Dias's goal is to show girls that their potential is greater than their personal circumstances. Parents are the chief resource in coaching daughters to dream big and live out their ambitions. The SuperCamp's goal is to create a sense of adventure and persistent spirit in girls in an environment where they feel safe and secure. Understanding their family and culture gives adolescents a secure baseline to help them understand and appreciate their self-worth. To matter is a universal human need, and both parent and child benefit from the process and the outcome of raising girls who are critical thinkers and change-makers. While exploring some of the values taught at SuperCamp and how they can be applied in parenting, the author also includes assignments that build values such as make a mirror with your daughter that reflects her and cover the frame with adjectives that describe her; add a volunteering activity to your calendar each month (ideas provided); and make a profile list of the ideal friend. VERDICT This recommended title has insights and practical tips for raising change-making girls.