Narratives are powerful. They have a way of tugging at your heart, allowing for deep truth to penetrate hearts. A good story can foster a yearning for something more. As a believer, I love to read things that inspire me and remind me of the beauty and depth to be found in a relationship with Jesus. It cannot be compared to anything else. As much as I’m head-over-heals in love with my hubby and as much as I’d do just about anything for my kidlets, it pales compared to the riches found in my relationship with Jesus. Oh the beauty, the wonder of experiencing God’s Holy Spirit working in and through me or how the Word of God can just cut right through and minister at just the perfect time.
There is no formula. It is not about “doing.” It is about “BEING.” It is about being a child of God, co-heir with Christ, commissioned to carry out kingdom work alongside the Lord. It is about being radically loved so that you can’t help but radically live.
And this is what I want to pass on to my children. I eagerly sought out faith-building books for my boys and shared many of the gems we love this last summer. A wonderful reader asked when I’d come out with my list of books for girls. Although my little girl is only two, I love a good research project plus I had the benefit of growing up with my two sisters in a home that lived and breathed our relationship with Jesus. So I embarked this summer to hound my girlfriends with daughters, research books on my own and then buy some to try out. I have to say that my initial searches were quite disappointing. It seems that there is a lot of confusion out there equating books on purity with faith books. Now I’m not knocking on purity, but I don’t want that to be the focus of my little girl’s life. There is a beautiful relationship to be had with our Creator God and a mission that He’s called us to do.
Not every book I bought or borrowed made the cut in my list here, but many did. From picture books up to chapter books, here are my 11+ favorite books to build a girl’s faith! {I’ll be adding more as I uncover more gems, so be sure to pin this for later too!} NOTE: Boys can enjoy these books too!
1. That’s When I Talk to God
This is one of my newest favorite books! We also love another book by the same author with a boy protagonist – That’s Where God Is. Both of these books delightfully draw you into the wonder and glory of a relationship with God and seeing his hand in creation and life circumstances. I loved these so much that I promptly ordered some extra copies to give as gifts!
2. Easter Eggs for Anya
Oh we love this book. I stumbled upon this a few years ago during our Easter learning. It is the story of a poor Ukranian girl. Her simple faith is inspiring and I just love how she has a special “prayer place” underneath a broken wagon where she goes to talk to God alone. It’s prompted both my niece and my own children to search out their own “prayer places.”
3. Saying Grace: A Praying of Thanksgiving
This precious book is a fictional narrative about how we might have come up with the concept of “Saying Grace.” It is set in the time frame of the puritans/pilgrims.
4. Stories of the Pilgrims 
I included this book in my recommendations for boys, but since it follows both boys and girls as they journey from England to Holland and then eventually to the New World due to religious persecution in England and then losing the youth to a secular culture in Holland, I wanted to include it here.
5. I Wonder As I Wander
This book will make you cry. It is a fictional account of the girl who no one knows anything about who came up with the Christmas carol, I Wonder As I Wander. This one would be for an older child who can grapple with some serious issues. The song was written during the Great Depression so it deals with poverty and hunger. The girl has lost her mother and travels around with her dad who is a traveling preacher. I love the honest “wonderings” about God and suffering. I love the natural everyday conversations that she and her father have about faith. This is a beautifully written, gorgeously illustrated book. If you are a stickler for doctrine, you might object to the girls “wonderings” about which cloud her mother lives on or a reference to her mama being an angel now. I prefer to discuss this with my kids without throwing out such a beautiful book.
6. I’ve Got a Job to Do
A friend bought this book for my son’s birthday last year. But since the main character is a girl, I thought I’d include it here too. This simple book beautifully inspires children to recognize everyday opportunities to carry out the great commission in their spheres as they follow Jesus’ directive to, “Go tell the world.” Part of living this beautiful Christian life is telling others about the Good News. This book inspires my children to do just that!
7. His Little Princess: Treasured Letters from Your King
This is another beautiful book. I’m not a huge “princess” fan. I think part of that is due to my personality and tomboy tendencies. I like action verses passivity that tends to come with some of the princess stuff out there. I think that’s why I adore the boy version so much. That being said, this devotional book emphasizes sweet relationship with Jesus and if your daughter loves princess stuff, she will LOVE this book and it could really touch her heart in a special way. Speaking of princesses, two other books I checked out might be of interest to those really into princesses – Beth Moore’s My Child, My Princess and another book called A True Princess {strangely enough, my boys really like this one.}
8. Little Susy’s Little Servants
Ready for a freebie?!?!? I discovered this little gem about 2 months ago and read it while we were up at the cabin. Treyton was intrigued to see what I was reading on my kindle and I ended up reading it aloud to him. I didn’t know at first if I would like it since the initial focus appeared to be character training. Again, I don’t have a problem with that, but I was on the hunt for books that built a girls faith and relationship with the Lord. But oh, this book is a delightful look at how Susy learns to utilize her Servants (her hands, her eyes, her mouth, her ears) in honoring the Lord. The tie in at the end with love for the Lord being motivation towards holy living and God’s giving us a new nature to enable us to live this way was beautifully stated in a way that very young children can relate to, despite the fact that this book was written almost 200 years ago. It’s a freebie on kindle. I just noticed that there are other books in this series and one was updated a bit and is in print form. I’m intrigued to check out Little Suzy’s Six Birthdays knowing how much I loved this one.
9. Heidi
Where do I start with this one. This classic was mesmerizing. For some reason I only remember the Shirley Temple movie version, but when multiple people recommended this book, I snagged a free kindle copy and was soon engrossed in the story. Her simple child-like faith and clear gospel message are so compelling. Seriously, check out the UNABRIDGED version and make this one of your next read-aloud books!
10. Hinds Feet on High Places
Wow. This delightfully illustrated version that’s been arranged for children is powerful and beautiful. I’ve been asking around for recommendations for great books to build a girls faith and my sister’s friend, Christina, highly recommended this one. While it is a picture book, it appears to be geared towards the 10 and up crowd. This has vaulted to the top of my wishlist. I love that it has devotionals built in and I found myself powerfully affected just reading the peek that Amazon gives you of a few chapters in the book. What a powerful analogy of what it means to walk in faith with Jesus!
11. Ten Girls Who… Series {Light Keepers}
I love what I’ve read from this series. My mom bought two of them at our convention this summer as we were on the hunt for books to build a girls faith: Ten Girls Who Made History and Ten Girls Who Made a Difference. It goes into famous women whose faith made an impact on their lives. The “Made History” books focuses on women who followed God’s call into new territory in their lives and made an impact in the world around them. The “Made a Difference” book was equally delightful and focused on how these women of faith had an impact on others {mostly their children or husbant} who impacted the world. I think it is so important to broaden our perspective on what it means to make an impact on world around us and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit on what He is calling each of us to do. I plan to buy the rest of the series and also get the boy versions for my boys to read! These would be fabulous for every homeschool family to own since they cover so many people from history. It would be nice to know how their faith impacted what they did which is not something you’ll find at your local public library much these days. You can buy them individually or the boxed set! Amazon doesn’t have the boxed set for the boys. You can find both boxed sets at CBD.
BONUS: Biographies
Anytime we can get a glimpse into seeing someone else walk out their faith it encourages us. That’s why reading biographies is so powerful. I love the Sower Series, especially the book about Susanna Wesley, Florence Nightingale, Abigail Adams and Mother Teresa. Missionary stories are also incredibly inspirational. This YWAM book about Amy Carmichael was a favorite of mind as a preteen girl! We can also be intentional to dialogue with our children about the fact that we are called and equipped to serve God no matter where we are at – whether it is in the jungles of Africa or in the midst of mothering.
And there you have it – the start of my list of books to build a girls faith. Do you have any favorites?
See his adorable little girl of mine? I’d love to hear your favorites, so that I can read them to her as she continues to grow!
If you missed my post on 10 Adventure Books to Build a Boys Faith be sure to check it out. I’ll be adding new gems as I unearth them!
Thank you so much for this listing! I have been looking for something just like this for my girls 9 and 5) and I am excited to see you had created a list for boys too. Excited to find some of these books for our family!
Book recommendations are always fun. I’d love to hear if you have any you would recommend!
Elsie Dinsmore series of books is a set that comes to mind. Also, we like the unabridged Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter. Blessings to you! Camille
Heather! Thank you! I will be looking into these in the near future as I have THREE precious little girls and I am always looking for something like this. Bless you!!
LOVE this, Heather!! Thank you!
Another wonderful series is the “In Grandma’s Attic” series. Good for boys and girls but the main character is a girl.
oh, thanks for the suggestion. I’m definitely going to have to check those out!