Thursday Three: Strong Females

Since this month is a celebration of Women's History, I thought I should mention a few books with strong female leads.  At first I figured I would talk about Women's Fiction, then I realized I really don't read that genre much, and the ones I have read everybody has read.  My second problem is that I have already talked about a lot of my favorite books and authors with strong female leads.  I've settled on a few young adult books with strong girls at the center.  Each book I chose is very different from the others.
1.  The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Frankie is one of the most fun literary characters out there.  She is smart, spunky and strong.  Absolutely no one is going to keep her down.  She is not about to let anyone tell her the school's infamous secret society is for boys only.  No way.  She is a criminal mastermind in the making.  A girl who won't take no for an answer.  I like her character because she is still girlie in many ways, she just refuses to be defined by her femininity.  She is so saucy I just love her.  The book is well written and has an amazing ending.  I highly recommend picking up this book and cheering Frankie on.
2.  All Our Yesterdays
This book is not for fans of no-brainers.  It is for science-fiction and dystopian fans.  You are basically thrown into the middle of something horrible and have to discover the details. Em has been locked up in a cell for months. She is repeatedly tortured for information she refuses to give up. Her one consolation is the limited contact she has with the boy in the cell next to her. They cannot see or touch, but they can converse through the wall they share. When a chance arises for the two to escape, they take it. Armed only with a note stating, "You have to kill him," Em and Finn travel back in time to try to change the future. This is their 15th trip back. All 14 previous trips have failed.  Em is such a strong lead character.  The fate of the world literally hangs on her shoulders.  You also meet Marina, who is a weakling, but who grows and matures throughout the book.  I thought this was a very good book.
3.  Stargirl
I think this is a book everybody should read.  It is absolutely wonderful.  It makes us each reevaluate our own lives and behavior.  I wish I could be more like Stargirl.  She is a formerly home-schooled teenage girl who enrolls in the local high school for her sophomore year.  Everything about her is different.  The way she dresses, the way she behaves, the way she thinks.  She is truly unique.  At first everybody is fascinated with her, but that goes away and instead everybody turns to despising her individuality.  It is a book about nonconformity.  For any fans of Boy Meets World, Stargirl reminds me a bit of Topanga in the early seasons.  Stargirl is not the narrator, but she is definitely the focus of the book.  She is a great character that can teach us all a lesson.