GRRRL POWER
"i'm going to do my best swan
dive into shark-infested waters,
i'm gonna pull out my tampon and start splashing around"
--Ani Difranco, "Swan Dive"
What is a grrrl? And no, I didn't just not use my spell check.
Grrrl is a term that comes from the expression "Riot Grrrl", which was
used to define the explosion of all-women bands in the alternative rock
and punk scene in the 80s and 90s. Since that time, the term has become
more mainstream and can be used to define any bold, rebellious female.
The books on these pages are full of grrrls that have decided that they
are not going to abide by society's rules.
Foxfire by Joyce Carol Oates
So you think only boys can be tough and be in
gangs. Well, you have never met Legs, Maddy, Goldie, Lana, and
Rita--the original members of Foxfire. These are some serious
bad-ass girls that have even the boy gangs in town scared. The
book takes you on the journey of the gang from its creation to its
expansion to its ultimate destruction. On the way you witness the
girls take revenge on a "pervy" teacher that preys on the weakest girls
in class, blackmail unsuspecting men, steal cars, get into knife fights
and more! This book has it all and then some.
Bloody Jack by Louis Meyer
Jack is the newest ship boy on the HMS Dolphin,
a member of the Queen's navy that is setting sail to rid the seas
of pirates. What the others don't know about Jack is that he is a
she! Jack is really Mary, a tough orphan that has decided to make
a new life for herself on the open sea. But sailing and sailors
are dangerous, and it will take everything she has to pull off this
charade. How will she go to the bathroom? How will she
handle her period? What happens when she falls in love with
another mate? This is a roaring adventure that will leave you
saying "Arrrrrrgh, I want more matey!"
Girl by Blake Nelson
Andrea Marr is just your average teenage girl going
to high school in Portland, Oregon. No, really, this time, she is
just average. She has trouble with boys. She is
insecure. She wants to be cool enough to hang out downtown.
She wants to be the same, but she wants to be different. When I
read this book, I found myself relating to Andrea's feelings and
observations about the world, high school, and people. She is a
fresh voice that tells it as she sees it and doesn't apologize (even
though she seems to get herself into many awkward situations).
This is the story for anyone who is trying to find a unique place for
herself (or himself) in a world where conformity can be easier.
I Was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block
Barbie is a model, but she does not want to be. She has been
controlled by others her whole life, letting her own happiness go for
the sake of others. Enter Mab, a sassy fairy that may or may not
be real but would never let anyone tell her what to do. This
novel is modern fairy tale that is sure to please.
Weetzie Bat
Meet Weetzie Bat, her friends Dirk and Duck, her boyfriend My
Secret Agent Lover Man (yes that's his name), their babies Cherokee Bat
and Witch Baby, and a whole slew of other characters that will put
stars in your eyes. Weetzie Bat is a girl that could not be
forced to live by society's rules. Francesca Lia Block not only
writes about strong, rebellious females but also reeks of it herself by
using a style of writing that is poetic, lyrical, and like nothing I
have seen.
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