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A Girl Can Build Anything
A brilliant, inclusive ode to self-expression, girl power, and the many things readers can create.
Have you ever dreamed of building something? Maybe something little—like a birdhouse? Or something big—like a skyscraper? If you can envision it, you can build it! A Girl Can Build Anything is a playful celebration of all the different ways girls can make things—from tinkering to tool wielding, from ideas on paper to big, lived-out dreams that require brick and mortar. This fun and empowering ode to self expression will inspire readers to jump up and immediately start to build. Because they can. They can do anything!
Have you ever dreamed of building something? Maybe something little—like a birdhouse? Or something big—like a skyscraper? If you can envision it, you can build it! A Girl Can Build Anything is a playful celebration of all the different ways girls can make things—from tinkering to tool wielding, from ideas on paper to big, lived-out dreams that require brick and mortar. This fun and empowering ode to self expression will inspire readers to jump up and immediately start to build. Because they can. They can do anything!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2023
2 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
E.E. Charlton-Trujillo
12 books180 followersThe author/filmmaker deemed rockstar by the kids she meets won the prestigious Delacorte Dell Yearling Award, Parents' Choice Silver Honor, National Council For The Social Studies Notable Book and the NY Public Library List for Teens for PRIZEFIGHTER EN MI CASA. FEELS LIKE HOME received critical praise, but it was FAT ANGIE that generated buzz from The New York Times Bestselling Author Gregory Maguire and Ellen Hopkins. Winner of the Stonewall Award, the ALA Rainbow List, Westchester Fiction Award and a Choose To Read Ohio Book, FAT ANGIE garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. Her trek across America to hold free writing workshops with youth on the fringe is the focus of the documentary At-Risk Summer. Her highly anticipated novel Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution releases March 5, 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 1, 2023
As a note for the RBL submission: there's not really anything queer about this book; some people may be visibly queer, but it needs more overt queerness for me to count it as LGBTQ+.
Besides that, this was a good picture book about girls creating and building and becoming women who create and build.
Besides that, this was a good picture book about girls creating and building and becoming women who create and build.
April 25, 2023
This book encourages young girls to build and create, to bounce back from failure and dream big. The message is inspiring and the artwork, created using tissue paper collaged in Photoshop, presents a diverse group of girls and women.
interesting quote:
"...because failure isn't final. It's where new ideas are made." (p.23 - unpaged)
interesting quote:
"...because failure isn't final. It's where new ideas are made." (p.23 - unpaged)
July 11, 2023
Girls can build many things. Girls can build anything!
The text is simple, so even a younger child would enjoy this book - but an older child will probably get the most out of it. The illustrations are great, depicting girls planning, building, and working together.
The text is simple, so even a younger child would enjoy this book - but an older child will probably get the most out of it. The illustrations are great, depicting girls planning, building, and working together.
March 24, 2025
A hopeful ode to the power of possibility.
June 18, 2023
Author repeatedly says “a girl” can build anything. Doesn’t explain what “a girl” is, so reader is left confused throughout the series. Ending was unintuitive.
June 26, 2023
With big bold colors and sparse but meaningful text this book spurs girls of all ages and backgrounds to go out there and dream big then build those dreams into being!
My favorite bit of this lovely book was how the authors highlight the failure/reworking part of the engineering and design process. When the things they build begin to “lean, wobble, crack, or collapse” they rework plans and try again because (and this is my FAVORITE line in any PB I’ve read this year!) “failure isn’t final. It’s where new ideas are made”
As a teacher, I plan to use this book as a jumping off point for my 5th graders to discuss the design process but it would be a terrific addition to a Genius Hour unit, any STEAM lesson, or even a primary unit on construction careers.
The parent in me loves the positive messaging for girls interested in construction. I would have loved some back matter with instructions for an easy woodworking project! All said, I’m adding this to my gift list for the kiddos in my life. Boys and girls because boys deserve to know we girls can build too!
My favorite bit of this lovely book was how the authors highlight the failure/reworking part of the engineering and design process. When the things they build begin to “lean, wobble, crack, or collapse” they rework plans and try again because (and this is my FAVORITE line in any PB I’ve read this year!) “failure isn’t final. It’s where new ideas are made”
As a teacher, I plan to use this book as a jumping off point for my 5th graders to discuss the design process but it would be a terrific addition to a Genius Hour unit, any STEAM lesson, or even a primary unit on construction careers.
The parent in me loves the positive messaging for girls interested in construction. I would have loved some back matter with instructions for an easy woodworking project! All said, I’m adding this to my gift list for the kiddos in my life. Boys and girls because boys deserve to know we girls can build too!
May 21, 2023
"A Girl Can Build Anything" is an inspiring picture book, which reminds readers that girls can create anything they can imagine. The story begins with the late night wonderings of a girl, dreaming in a tent, with her toolbox near by: "It starts with a vision. A sketch. And a plan." Then the possibilities begin. From tools and materials, to ideas for finished products - such as a bird house or a bookshelf - in active, concise storytelling, dreams grow bolder and more complex, and an affirmation repeats: "A girl can build many things. A girl can build anything." Not without problems and challenges, of course. "A Girl Can Build Anything" reminds readers that although things won't always go as planned, "failure isn't final" - an empowering takeaway in this tale about persistence and dreaming big.
October 8, 2023
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
In this pciture book written in blank verse, we see young girls being encouraged to build all manner of things. From wood and plastic to sheetrock and shutters, girls are encouraged to gather materials, make plans, and build anything. There might be set backs, but they are opportunities for learning that will propel them forward to even bigger and better things. The little girls in the picture constructing birdhouses and trellises give way to adult women planning buildings and cities. Throughout the book, there are themes of resilience and perseverance.
Morris' artwork is reminiscent of Eric Carle's tissue paper collage style, but has a lot more color in the background. The girls shown are diverse, and I love the scenes where the characters are moving building supplies on a background of graph paper. This is definitely a great example of "if you can see it, you can be it", and I love the pages with the adult women deep in urban planning.
While there are some good begining reader books about girls who build things, I haven't seen anything in picture book format about girls building things. Since I work more in fiber arts (which are less apt to injure people when the projects go wrong!), I haven't really looked, although my daughters did have a play workbench growing up, right along with their play kitchen. If you want to introduce young readers to Derting's Libby Loves Science, Pearce's Ellie Engineer, and Beaty's Rosie Revere, Engineer, as well as Respicio's The House That Lou Built, A Girl Can Build Anything is a good start.
It's hard for me to believe that it's 2023 and we still don't have more women in construction or STEM careers. Let's hope that picture books like Rachel Ignotofsky's Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World, Partridge's Parks for the People, Jacob's The Mellons Build a House, and Theule's Fascinating Concrete: From the Ground Up will serve as inspiration for a new generation of girls to look into science and construction careers!
In this pciture book written in blank verse, we see young girls being encouraged to build all manner of things. From wood and plastic to sheetrock and shutters, girls are encouraged to gather materials, make plans, and build anything. There might be set backs, but they are opportunities for learning that will propel them forward to even bigger and better things. The little girls in the picture constructing birdhouses and trellises give way to adult women planning buildings and cities. Throughout the book, there are themes of resilience and perseverance.
Morris' artwork is reminiscent of Eric Carle's tissue paper collage style, but has a lot more color in the background. The girls shown are diverse, and I love the scenes where the characters are moving building supplies on a background of graph paper. This is definitely a great example of "if you can see it, you can be it", and I love the pages with the adult women deep in urban planning.
While there are some good begining reader books about girls who build things, I haven't seen anything in picture book format about girls building things. Since I work more in fiber arts (which are less apt to injure people when the projects go wrong!), I haven't really looked, although my daughters did have a play workbench growing up, right along with their play kitchen. If you want to introduce young readers to Derting's Libby Loves Science, Pearce's Ellie Engineer, and Beaty's Rosie Revere, Engineer, as well as Respicio's The House That Lou Built, A Girl Can Build Anything is a good start.
It's hard for me to believe that it's 2023 and we still don't have more women in construction or STEM careers. Let's hope that picture books like Rachel Ignotofsky's Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World, Partridge's Parks for the People, Jacob's The Mellons Build a House, and Theule's Fascinating Concrete: From the Ground Up will serve as inspiration for a new generation of girls to look into science and construction careers!
July 22, 2023
Another collection of inspirational posters instead of an inspiring story, a development in children’s literature I can’t wait for to end.
Gets some bonus points for being more inclusive than most of it’s ilk (that usually feature wie girls front and center) and being more specific and on topic than most of them in that it aims to encourage young girls to build stuff and not be disheartened by failures.
Still, I swear I haven’t met a single child that wouldn’t prefer and relate better to a story with some tension or humor than to being talked at in blanket encouragements by an anonymous book, so it’d be great for authors to make the effort again soon.
Gets some bonus points for being more inclusive than most of it’s ilk (that usually feature wie girls front and center) and being more specific and on topic than most of them in that it aims to encourage young girls to build stuff and not be disheartened by failures.
Still, I swear I haven’t met a single child that wouldn’t prefer and relate better to a story with some tension or humor than to being talked at in blanket encouragements by an anonymous book, so it’d be great for authors to make the effort again soon.
January 4, 2024
This one is for all the dreamers and doers out there. An ode to girls everywhere who start with a dream, who work, and brainstorm, and persevere in order to make something great.
I loved this book! The illustrations were playful and fun - and inclusive! It was great to see so many different kinds of creators illustrated on the page. The content was empowering and encouraged dreamers to keep working, even if something fails at first. This would be great for STEM classes or makerspace labs or in a classroom or school library.
I loved this book! The illustrations were playful and fun - and inclusive! It was great to see so many different kinds of creators illustrated on the page. The content was empowering and encouraged dreamers to keep working, even if something fails at first. This would be great for STEM classes or makerspace labs or in a classroom or school library.
January 1, 2025
I appreciate the illustrator’s use of architectural/building tools in her design (measuring tools, graphing paper, etc.), but I wished the book was a bit less literal. I am happy for girls and women to be engineers, architects, welders, machinery operators, and other building professionals, but I would have welcomed less literal ways of “building” as well. Girls CAN build anything — including a business, a relationship, a passion, and so on. I had hoped those types of things would be included alongside literal building activities, which I ALSO want women and girls to pursue and explore.
February 24, 2025
This book helps students understand that they can bring their visions alive; all they need is a plan. The positive message that is shared is that girls can build anything. In a world where women/girls are not represented frequently in construction and architecture, this book does a wonderful job pushing the message that girls can do anything and build anything. This message stood out to me: "Failure isn't final; it's where new ideas are made."
October 28, 2024
Being a girl doesn't preclude you from being able to achieve your dreams. And if your dreams are of being a carpenter or an engineer then by all means, GO FOR IT!! You can do it. This is a very inspirational and aspirational book for young girls to know they too can build anything and everything. Never set limits.
The illustrations were fun and brought the text to life.
The illustrations were fun and brought the text to life.
April 18, 2023
This book arrived in the cutest wrapping, but A Girl Can Build Anything is not only darling in the outside; it’s full of empowering & inspiring words inside, too!
Such a #girlstrong #kidlit picture book! 💪🏼🔨🪚🔧
Such a #girlstrong #kidlit picture book! 💪🏼🔨🪚🔧
August 12, 2023
Cute. Good message. Liked how the artwork brought in things like graph paper. The double page spread in the middle with the kids regrouping after a failed building project wasn't the best design--not enough space between the text on both pages so it took a minute to parse how to read the words.
August 22, 2023
“Dream it. Believe it.” Then build it. This story promotes girl power and a can-do positive attitude. Colorful illustrations show girls in action building self-esteem, confidence, character, and everything they put their minds to.
September 26, 2023
What a great book for our kiddos! I bought this book for our STEM days in the library but it could be used all year. The book addresses gender stereotypes and growth mindset so easily. I really liked the ending, too!
January 4, 2024
A cheerful inspiration and celebration of what girls can do - anything and everything. I love that some of the materials used in the girls’ building projects are repurposed and up-cycled items, giving old things life in new creations.
May 4, 2023
The message of perseverance in this book is the real treasure. I love hearing about failures and the refusal to give up.
May 6, 2023
Ultimately shallow. It doesn't go anywhere. It's just a litany of tools and things you can build. Then it just ends.
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June 9, 2023Good to show that girls can build/do anything.
June 15, 2023
A positive message about girls building buildings and communities. Design, tools, overcoming obstacles.
June 17, 2023
Girl power with awesome illustrations. This one just didn’t quite hit me.
July 1, 2023
Cute and inspiring for young girls who like to create!
July 9, 2023
Empowering words and fantastic art!
July 17, 2023
I liked that this book shows that girls can build and handle power tools.....but honestly, the book was kind of trivial about it all.
July 21, 2023
Love this simple yet powerful book for girls. Empowering!
August 28, 2023
A poem about girls building things (though illustrations especially focus on a big playground).
September 11, 2023
3.5+
Girl power!
“Take a breath. Take a break. Then…try again. Because failure isn’t final. It’s where new ideas are made.”
Girl power!
“Take a breath. Take a break. Then…try again. Because failure isn’t final. It’s where new ideas are made.”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews