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Dear Girl: A Celebration of Wonderful, Smart, Beautiful You!

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The #1 New York Times bestseller that Today show co-anchor Hoda Kotb calls “a beautiful, beautiful book.”

The New York Times bestselling author of I Wish You More , Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and her daughter Paris Rosenthal collaborate to bring you the heartwarming and inspiring Dear Girl,

Dear Girl, is a remarkable love letter written for the special girl in your life; a gentle reminder that she’s powerful, strong, and holds a valuable place in the world.

Through Amy and Paris’s charming text and Holly Hatam’s stunning illustrations, any girl reading this book will feel that she's great just the way she is—whether she enjoys jumping in a muddy puddle, has a face full of freckles, or dances on table tops.

Dear Girl, encourages girls to always be themselves and to love who they are—inside and out.

Dear Girl,
This book is for you.
Wonderful, smart, beautiful you.
If you ever need a reminder, just turn to any page in this book and know that you are special and you are loved.
Amy and Paris

A perfect gift for all occasions.

 

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 26, 2017

126 people are currently reading
1452 people want to read

About the author

Amy Krouse Rosenthal

89 books1,093 followers


SHORT BIO:

Amy Krouse Rosenthal was.
She divided her time.


NOT SO SHORT BIO:

Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a person who liked to make things.
Some things she liked to make include:

Children's books. (Little Pea, Spoon, DuckRabbit)
Grown-up books. (Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life)
Short films. (The Beckoning of Lovely, The Money Tree)
Guided journals. (The Belly Book)
Something out of nothing. (see above)

A longtime contributor to WBEZ and to the TED conference,
Amy lived with her family in Chicago and online at whoisamy.com.

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5 stars
2,556 (69%)
4 stars
754 (20%)
3 stars
285 (7%)
2 stars
65 (1%)
1 star
15 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 605 reviews
Profile Image for sAmAnE.
1,369 reviews154 followers
September 19, 2025
دختر عزیزم، هراز گاهی فکرهایت را روی کاغذ بنویس؛ حتی اگر فقط به خاطر این باشد که از حرکت خودکار روی کاغذ خوشت می‌آید.
Profile Image for Paul  Hankins.
770 reviews319 followers
January 27, 2018
This is a book I have been "pitching" at Facebook to the parents of my students and to my high school friends who have daughters now. . .I'm sharing, sharing, sharing. While I say that this book would make an excellent graduation gift, it may be imperative in light of current events that the book not wait to be shared with young readers. Right now is the best to time to share that book. . .that one that you know has the words you mean to convey. That book is Dear Girl,.

Note that Dear Girl, carries the distinction of being a One Book Four Hands title. This is reserved for those books that cannot miss if they were to be shared as a lap read between bigger readers and little readers.
Profile Image for Jasmine.
150 reviews34 followers
December 6, 2021
I bought this book as a gift for two fantastic little girls hoping that they’d have something to refer to should they ever feel less than. This is 100% the perfect little book for a quick little confidence boost. I recommend this to any young girl (there’s also one for boys, too!).
Profile Image for Farnoosh.
48 reviews9 followers
August 3, 2025
اگر روزی دختری داشته‌باشم، این کتابیه که دلم می‌خواد هر روز و هر روز براش بخونم.
Profile Image for Abigail.
8,025 reviews265 followers
April 24, 2019
A sweet picture-book advice manual addressed to one particular girl - one suspects it was intended for co-author Paris Rosenthal, from her mother, celebrated picture-book author Amy Krouse Rosenthal - Dear Girl, is the sort of book that can be shared with all girls. Each two-page spread features a letter, and piece of advice, from raising one's hand, because you have something intelligent to say, to getting to know people who are like AND unlike you.

An affirmational book, one which is made particularly poignant by the fact that Amy Krouse Rosenthal recently passed away, after penning an intensely moving piece about her husband for The New York Times, Dear Girl, doesn't offer anything especially earth-shattering, in the advice department. That said, the words of wisdom here, passed down from mother to daughter, are heartwarming and true. The artwork, done by Holly Hatam, have a fun collage/cartoon style. Recommended to anyone looking for inspirational, aspirational (rather than story-driven) picture-books for girls.
Profile Image for Alex  Baugh.
1,955 reviews128 followers
January 21, 2018
This is the book I wish I had when my Kiddo was growing up (and after reading it, she wishes she had it, too). Each two page spread is a missive offering advice to young girls. My favorite is “Dear Girl, Find people like you. Find people unlike you.” There are lots more practical and fanciful lessons about living a full life to be found, including advice about breaking stereotypes, taking care of oneself, and taking changes. While the book offers guidance, it isn’t overly sentimental or suffocatingly emotional, though adults readers can’t help but be aware that Krouse Rosenthal, who wrote this book with her own daughter, Paris, passed away on March 13, 2017, making this all the more poignant. Hatam’s spare, whimsical illustrations reflect the message on each page. Pair this with I Wish You More and share both with your children.
Profile Image for Becky.
6,188 reviews303 followers
January 22, 2018
First sentence: Dear Girl, Keep that arm raised! You have smart things to say!

Premise/plot: Each spread in this picture book is a short message, a letter, if you will addressed to Dear Girl.

Dear Girl, Find people like you. Find people unlike you.

Dear Girl, You won't be invited to every single party on the planet. (Which is really okay--can you imagine how exhausting that would be?)

Dear Girl, Sometimes you've just gotta stop...and DANCE!

My thoughts: This picture book is for readers of all ages. The messages are geared towards girls, but most of the advice is relevant to everyone. It would be fun to extend the experience by writing and illustrating letters of your own.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
Profile Image for Christine (Tina).
669 reviews
January 14, 2018
Read this on what would've been my beautiful grandmom's 112th birthday! My first biological grandbaby, a girl, soon will be born. Her two sisters are also my grandbabies. These "little girls", as the eldest (Ally who is almost 4) reminds us, need this book & need this story read to them every night, no matter which one of us is doing the reading!
Profile Image for Amber.
433 reviews15 followers
February 20, 2018
Dear Girl,
This book was written just for you. It speaks to all the things you know and the things you have yet to learn, it speaks to who you are and who you will be, it speaks to your joy and your pain. Amy Krouse Rosenthal brings us another gem with the help of her daughter and Holly Hatam. A new favorite for me. I want to buy a copy for every girl or woman in my life and share the messages found within these pages with them!
Profile Image for Earl.
4,109 reviews42 followers
December 29, 2017
Get ready to bawl your eyes out with this sweet, life-affirming picture book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Gather the girls in your life and have them read this one.
Profile Image for Russ Anderson.
28 reviews21 followers
January 31, 2018
As my daughter read this book to me, I just about lost it. This is such a sweet book about love, empowerment, self-affirmation, curiosity, and everything else we need more of in the world.
Profile Image for Cate Tedford.
318 reviews6 followers
Read
October 12, 2023
So sweet omg♥️ I need to read more children’s books
Profile Image for SheReads.
700 reviews91 followers
December 7, 2017
Reviewed for YA Books Central

A fantastic way to empower little girls.

The story:
The book follows a little girl as she's told most of life's biggest lessons. Lessons that many adults never learned. The pages begin with "Dear Girl" and then go on to give them little nuggets such as "Never lose your sense of wonder." "There's no such thing as too many questions." "And if you want to say no, say no."

What I loved:
Every single thing in this book is something I'd want to share with the young girls I love. I read it with my three-year-old niece and she sat enthralled as she absorbed everything she was being told. It's incredibly empowering and valuable and perfectly timed. The main message is basically that it's okay to be who you are and that you don't only have to be one thing. That life is theirs for the taking.
The images fit the dreamy tone of the story perfectly.

What was just okay:
Nothing. I loved everything.

Final Verdict:
Fun. Adorable. Valuable. A children's story you'll be asked to read time and time again. Lesson's you'll love teaching time and time again. This book is perfect.
Profile Image for Linda .
4,200 reviews52 followers
February 6, 2018
There are many books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal that I love, and I've managed to own quite a few too. I will have to purchase a second one because this must move on to be owned, read and loved by my granddaughters. Each page is filled with goodness about life (not a surprise) and about the life being a girl, too. "Dear Girl, don't ever lose your sense of wonder." and "Dear Girl, Find people like you. Find people unlike you." It makes me happy that Amy and her daughter wrote this together, and sad that Amy is no longer with us, except in the spirit of her books.Holly Hatam's illustrations are line drawings paired with collages created from photographs of textiles - wonderful to view.
Profile Image for Jana.
2,601 reviews47 followers
February 22, 2018
In a world that isn’t always encouraging or kind to girls or young women, Amy Krouse Rosenthal and her daughter, Paris, wrote this awesome letter to girls. The book jacket has this special note: “Dear Girl, This book is for you. Wonderful, smart, beautiful you. If you ever need a reminder, just turn to any page in this book and know that you are special and you are loved.” The clever, collage illustrations work with the awesome message of this book to create a wonderful gift to share with any of the girls or women in your life. This could also be a fun mentor text to help young writers create their own encouraging letters.
Profile Image for Paulette.
Author 2 books24 followers
January 19, 2018
The literary legacy continues for much loved children’s author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, who passed away last March 2017. She worked on a picture book with her daughter Paris which has just been published. It is a sweet tribute to daughters of every kind and an encouragement to young girls to find their own way in discovering what makes them wonderful, smart, and beautiful. Illustrations by Holly Hatam are as whimsical as the text. Be sure to share this reading experience with a little girl in your life.
Profile Image for Cheriee Weichel.
2,520 reviews44 followers
January 21, 2018
I purchased this book for my son, daughter in law, and granddaughter based on reviews of people I trust. I'm sure glad I did.
This books is a celebration of being who you are. My favourite page spread reads:
Dear Girl,
Find people like you.
Find people unlike you.

That's good advice for everyone!
Profile Image for Joella.
938 reviews46 followers
February 2, 2018
This book! Oh how I love this book! I need to own this book! (So many exclamation marks!) I think every girl needs to read this (old or young or in-between). Just so she can realize that the world is a place for her too. Seriously. All girls should read this. And love it. And internalize it. So. Good.
Profile Image for Nancy Kotkin.
1,405 reviews31 followers
September 28, 2018
A picture book celebration of girls in all their diversity of interests and complexity of emotions. Written in a loose epistolary style that makes the text feel immediate and personal. The text was created by a collaboration of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and her daughter. Amy's inspiring creativity will be missed much by the picture book community.
Profile Image for Michelle Nero.
757 reviews30 followers
January 25, 2018
Oh, I love that Amy and Paris wrote this book together ... that mother-daughter relationship is powerful! The messages shared are the words I want to share with my daughters at age 7.5, 13, 18, 22 and so on ... they are timeless encouraging reminders. Adore the illustrations from Holly as well!
Profile Image for Emily Briano.
441 reviews149 followers
August 17, 2018
My new favorite picture book to read to Catherine (and to myself). This one will be a go-to gift for anyone with girls (or who is a girl). What a talent Amy Krouse Rosenthal was, and I'm grateful to get to share her words with Catherine (and myself when I need them).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 605 reviews

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