La Crescenta mom sets out to ignore ‘labels’ with new book

Like many 9-year-old girls, Emilia Magill likes princesses. But she also likes superheroes. And dragons. And aliens.

Being a girl shouldn’t dictate what she should like, said mother Catherine Connors, who transplanted her beliefs of female empowerment into the medium of customizable books.

In “I Am a Girl,” parents can use pictures of their daughters and blend them with their own words to tell the story of the child’s likes, passions and dreams.

The goal is to break the “sugar, spice and everything nice” mold, said Connors, a La Crescenta resident.

“I was looking for a way to express the full complexity of who my daughter is and open up a conversation with her and my son on how important it is to define who you are on your own terms as opposed to the terms that society sets out for you,” she said.

The book idea was inspired by a talk she had with Emilia, who had called herself a tomboy just because she enjoyed a few things typically associated with boys.

Laying out her daughter’s likes in the open, page after page helps her feel more validated with herself, Connors said.

If a child isn’t able to do that, there could be problems down the road, she said.

“It can constrain them when it comes time to define who they are,” Connors said.

Connors is no newcomer when it comes to writing for children or women’s issues. She was once the editor in chief at Disney Interactive Family and manages the blog, “Her Bad Mother.”

Publisher TwigTale is also known for its other personalized books for kids.

Carrie Southworth, the company’s chief executive officer, said she likes Connors’ encouraging message of ignoring stereotypes. She made a customized “I Am a Girl” book for her 5-year-old daughter and said it’s never really too soon to get the talk going about identity because kids are good at picking up on their surroundings.

Southworth said she plans on launching a similar book for boys called “I Am a Boy” by the end of the year with the same format.

“I’m an aunt of four nephews and they endure labels just like little girls,” she said. “I’m excited to think about that next and how we can broaden that story of how they might feel trapped in those labels.”

“I Am a Girl” can be custom-designed on TwigTale’s website or even over the phone. It’s only the first step for parents toward initiating an important chat with their children, Connors said.

“What [the book] is effectively doing is providing parents a platform to create a story,” she said. “It’s a story starter.”