Figuring it Out: Children's Books that Model Independence
MBH no. 13
One of my favorite questions to ask my 8-year-old when she gets home from school is what she and her friends played at recess. Sometimes they invent cheers and skits, sometimes they play “Limousine” (forming a connected, conga-style line with the girl up front playing her harmonica because she’s the radio😂), and sometimes it’s “Flash Floods in Hawaii”(?)
Always entertaining.
When I asked this question the other day, my daughter told me that she and a friend played “Girls in the Forest” which is a game she especially loves.
Girls in the Forest is pretty much what you think it is--- two girls in the forest, without their parents, having to find shelter and make food, etc.
It reminded me of being the same age in the early 1990s— my neighbor and I often played “Pioneers.” Our parents were dead (probably of dysentery, thanks Oregon Trail) and we had to fend for ourselves. I guess no matter the generation, kids gravitate toward games where they’re in charge.
Girls in the Forest also got me thinking about something I learned in a writing for children course —my professor, YA author Sarah Tomp, told us this:
“Get the parents out of the way.”
Shocking, right? Writers often do this (or they use parents as other sorts of obstacles) for several reasons, but mostly because kids want to read about other kids taking charge and solving their own problems.
The Boxcar Children books are a classic example of this desire for autonomy—I mention it in a recent guest post I wrote on audiobooks :
When I was little, The Boxcar Children series was my absolute favorite. I loved the idea of four children having the capability and autonomy to solve mysteries and go on great adventures.
And this is the reason, despite not being very deep, that The Boxcar Children has resonated with generations of young readers.
Children’s literature provides us with countless examples of places and spaces where characters have more independence than they might in the real world, especially now.
For today, I chose three books with protagonists that “figure it out”—without the adults constantly around.
King and Kayla (series), Dori Hillestad Butler, (2017-2022)
“If he didn’t take them, who did?” Jillian asks.
“We’ll find out,” Kayla says.
She grabs a notebook and a pencil. “Let’s make a list of everything we know about this case,” she says.
There are three treats missing.
King was in the kitchen
King’s breath doesn’t smell like peanut butter
With simple language and plenty of humor, this is a super-cute series perfect for kids transitioning from easy readers to chapter books.
In each of the eight books, Kayla and her dog, King work together to solve mysteries around their suburban neighborhood.
While Kayla and King have a special connection, King can’t talk to humans, which makes for hilarious miscommunications between the two detectives.*
Each book models teamwork and great deductive reasoning skills as Kayla makes lists of what she knows, what she doesn’t know, and a plan to solve the case.
The series also models independent thinking and action. Kayla’s mom and other adults pop into the stories occasionally, but they have a completely passive role. The mystery-solving is entirely up to Kayla and her neighborhood friends (and King, of course).
Recommended for ages 5-7
*The audiobooks are also great—King’s voice especially!
The Magical Animal Adoption Agency, 1: Clover’s Luck, by Kallie George, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger (2015-2017)
“Clover’s heart sank. She shook her head. ‘I can’t look after the agency all by myself…”
When we meet Clover, she’s sure that, despite her name, she’s the unluckiest girl ever. Despite pocketing talismans, hanging horseshoes, and painting her bedroom green, her best friend leaves for the summer (getting the last space at Pony Camp, of course) Her parents work constantly, and Clover—who is likely 9 or 10—is left alone.
To top it off, her canary, the latest in a failed string of pets, has just escaped through a hole in her window.
She chases the bird into the Woods near her house and stumbles upon an advertisement calling for volunteers at an animal adoption agency. Clover hesitates—she’s always heard the Woods are full of “beasties”—but decides that she loves animals too much NOT to at least check it out.
Upon reaching the agency, Clover is amazed to discover that magical animals, including unicorns, tiny fairy horses, and a cursed, color-changing frog are the creatures hoping for a permanent home.
The owner, Mr. Jams, hires Clover as a volunteer but immediately leaves on a rescue mission, placing her in charge. Although Clover is initially intimidated, she learns to take charge, builds confidence, make important decisions, and rely on herself.
While Clover’s parents are kind, they are (conveniently) gone early most mornings and don’t get home until after she puts herself to bed.
With no adults to oversee her, Clover is thrust into responsibility. And in taking care of the magical animals and dealing with their owners, Clover discovers her own strength and abilities.
Kallie George is one of our favorite children’s authors and we loved this whole series. Without being preachy, the author shows readers the importance of confidence and self-reliance.
Recommended for ages 6-10
The Lemonade War (series), by Jacqueline Davies (2007-2022)
She watched Evan walking away, getting smaller and smaller.
He was deserting her.
He wasn’t going to stand by her at school. He wasn’t going to smooth the way for her. He was going to be on the other side, with all of them, looking down on her. Telling everyone that she was too young to be part of the crowd. Telling everyone that she didn’t belong.
“Fine for you, Evan Treski,” she said as she marched into the house, her fists balled up at her sides. I don’t need you. I don’t need you to have fun. I don’t need you to run a lemonade stand. And I don’t need you to make friends in the fourth grade.”
The Lemonade War is often included on classroom reading lists because it provides an early economics lesson for young readers— marketing terms, sales tips, profit calculations, and more are all cleverly woven into this story about competing lemonade stands. At its heart, though, this is a story about the relationship between a brother and a sister.
This is the first book in an award-winning series that follows the Treski siblings as they navigate changing dynamics in their relationship.
When the family receives a letter explaining that "school smart" Jessie will skip a grade to join Evan’s fourth-grade class, it causes a huge problem between the siblings.
Jessie has trouble reading social cues and is confused by Evan’s angry response—she adores her big brother and is excited to spend even more time with him. Meanwhile, Evan—a “people person”—is afraid of what his friends will think when they find out his little sister is smarter than him.
These confused, angry feelings are the foundation for the lemonade war, a bet that Jessie and Evan make on the heels of a particularly hurtful argument.
Whoever can make the most money after five days wins the combined earnings. Both kids enlist neighborhood kids for help, and of course—the war escalates out of control.
Negative reviews of this book—and books like it—complain that the adults aren’t involved enough and that the parents exist only on the fringes of the story. Well, true.
And that’s the point: because their dad lives in another country and their mom is too busy to really engage with the siblings, Jessie and Evan are forced to solve their business problems and mend their relationship—independently. By figuring things out on their own, they learn so much more.
Recommended for kids ages 8-10.
As always, thanks for reading! And I’d love it if you clicked this little green button to share this newsletter with a friend.
Wishing you hours and hours of reading magic,
Katie
The book “Roxaboxen” by Alice mclerran fits this theme perfectly- we read it last summer and my kids, 5 & 8 at the time, really enjoyed the ideas of kids creating their own town and adventures.
We’ve been reading the Brownstone Mythical collection books and I love the independent kids, and GORGEOUS illustrations.
My son and his “team” have a very complicated game they play in the hedges at school. Think it’s some sort of ninja / how to train your dragon mashup, and when we go to the playpark, we just occasionally hear them crash by.
I’ve been thinking about how to allow him a bit more independence. He’ll go into the library while I lock up our bikes or use the loo, and cut through the woods on his bike (a 2 minute route) while I circle round on the road. He’s nearly 6 and is desperate to do a bit more by himself.