Dreams for Our Daughters

Songs and Dreams #2

by Ruth Doyle, Ashling Lindsay (Illustrator)

What hopes do you have for the future? Who do you long to become? This empowering book encourages young girls to become leaders unafraid to stand up for themselves and others. The world’s been waiting for them, and there’s so much to discover! Warm, loving rhymes and tenderly detailed illustrations help readers imagine the thousands of adventures up ahead. Each new day is a chance to become a keeper of kindness and a champion of change, an imaginative explorer who listens well and speaks the truth. 

A perfect gift for baby showers, graduations, and other celebrations, Dreams for Our Daughters is a book girls will treasure throughout their lives.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Ruth Doyle is also the author of Dreams for Our Daughters (Eerdmans). She has won several awards from the Winchester Writers' Festival for her writing for children. Ruth lives in Kent, England, on the Mini Motley Farm with her family and a multitude of animals.

Reviews

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, whimsical book that is an encouragement to girls to dream, believe, achieve because they can do what they dream of doing.

While I don't particularly care for the "guiding star" aspect, I recognize the intent is for the child to imagine greatly and believe they can do things.

I love the word of caution..... "Be a fearless defender, a honey bee with armor-- guarding against the false-charmers and harmers." Superb advice.

While the poetic story seems to encourage a "save the World" ecology goal, taken as a whole, it is only a part of the totality of this sweet book. A book to encourage one to dream, seek to accomplish, don't settle for less, etc.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[Renn · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Never be labeled as less than you are.
Be brave and believe in your own guiding star.”

“Stay true to your dreams, knowing you hold the key
To ignite the bright changes that you long to see.”

“Oyster-child, your true beauty shines as it grows.
You’re the hidden pearl, not the shell the mirror shows.”

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this to their daughters! So unbelievably important to instill the messages in here!

[Josh Olds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreams for our Daughters is the companion book to Songs for Our Sons, and it’s just as beautiful, poetic, heart-felt, and magical. Ruth Doyle and Ashling Lindsay share their talents once again to craft an empowering, whimsical message of strength, power, beauty, grace, and belonging. Like my previous review, let me simply write about the most powerful lines and scenes.

The wind whispers a welcome: we’ve been waiting for you, for the joy-making, groundbreaking magic you’ll do. – It’s a beautiful introduction and. For me, evokes memories of the daughter I wanted for, my unexpected adopted daughter who we upended our lives for. It takes me back to that sense of anticipation that is both longing and dread, but captures the heart of how I felt about her: So never be labeled as less than you are. Be brave and believe in your own guiding star.

The book teaches young girls to be strong, fearless, and capable. Independent isn’t quite the right word, because the book hums with the need for community. Dreams for our Daughters presents girls as leaders, fighters, builders, and creatives. With so many odd cultural messages about womanhood—be it in conservative Christian thinking or secular thinking, Doyle and Lindsay encourage young girls to simply be themselves, no matter what other messages the world brings.

Dreams for our Daughters envisions a future where humanity cares for creation, for refugees, for the outcast, and the marginalized—and it envisions young girls leading the charge into this better world. It’s a prophetic word of what could be, what is hoped for, and what may come to pass, if only we allow our young girls the freedom to dream.

[Snail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed elements of the art in this book, particularly the colors and the winding plants… however, something struck me as a bit off about the tone of the book. Is it written more for the parents than for the children? To inspire parents to try to raise all kinds of children? I would rather have liked to see a book in the children’s own voices, encouraging them to dream, to speak, to be. This felt very… hmm… commanding in a sort of way. BE this, BE that. It’s not meant to be oppressive, I’m sure, but somehow it came across a little like that to me, as an adult reader.

I appreciated the nods to cleaning up the ocean and to gay pride, but it all felt a little forced and heavy-handed to me. Two stars bumped up to three for the art.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fab , feminist picture book that I will read many times to my baby granddaughter.

[Shanny Trinko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting Women's Empowerment at a young age

[Sarah Slattery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of beauty! I can't wait to share this when my baby niece arrives. 🥰

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, positive, affirmative, aspirational messages for our daughters.

[Mary Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning with the same words as its’ companion book, Songs For Our Sons (see below) we take now a new road, different, but the same as a brand new baby girl enters the world with her dreams clutched in her ‘small starfish hands.’ With stunning, dreamlike illustrations, wishes and hopes for this new little girl carry us through time-travel, the frontier of space, exploration of the planet, daring visions of dragons, wolves and incredible sea-creatures, flights of fancy and the real world. The lyrical, mesmerising text wafts through the pages sending encouraging words of the possibilities that await on this magical planet, and messages of courage, kindness and vision. Again, this is a perfect gift for parents to celebrate the life-journey of their daughters and will ring true at all key life moments; birth, going off to school or university, or heading off into the world on your own; a gentle, poetic reminder of the dreams to always carry along the way and to be yourself, always…proudly and with great heart. Also, a wonderful book to aid with mental health education as it is calm, reassuring, honest and hopeful. And beautiful; simply beautiful.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a bright future for daughters and the joy they will bring, just by being themselves.