Before diving into our first post of 2018, we’d like to wish all our readers a very Happy New Year!

 

As discussed in our last post, we took a break over the festive period to spend time with family; eating, drinking and being merry! We hope you had a lovely break too, however you spent the holiday.

 

Feeling rested and refreshed we thought we’d launch right back into our Book Club series with a slightly different text: Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls.

 

You may wonder what place a children’s bedtime story has in an entrepreneurial blog, but you only need to read the introduction of the book to discover that it sits perfectly with the other texts we’ve recommended.

 

The authors of this beautiful collection of stories are Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo. If their names sound familiar it is because they are record-breakers in the raising money game! Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls raised over one million dollars through crowdfunding; and is the highest funded original book in its history.

 

In the heart-warming introduction, Favilli and Cavallo share some of the delights of their achievement; from working with talented female artists who illustrated the book, to the story of a friend who was so inspired by the pair that she gained the confidence to embark upon her own project which she had held back on in the past, for fear of failing. Both the tales in the book and the authors themselves are brimming with success, and it’s wonderfully infectious.

 

It won’t come as a surprise then, that the authors themselves are entrepreneurs. They founded Timbuktu Labs, an innovative company that helps brands build products that children love. They recognise that technology has changed the way that children play, and have embraced this trend by creating games that are both educational and empowering. From learning how to follow a recipe, to the ‘Dooper School’ game that encourages children to move, their innovations promote integrated play that combines mobile games with videos, books and smart toys. To find out more, check their website out here.

 

And back to the book; what was our favourite part?

 

It’s hard to pick! One of the things we loved the most was learning about incredible women we’d never heard of. From Jill Tarter, astronomer and director of SETI (Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence) to Matilde Montoya, a doctor who helped pass a law that allowed women to study medicine and work as doctors in Mexico. There are 100 stories in all, and each comes with a unique illustration which turns the book into a work of art. Whether you have children or not, this book is a brilliant, inspirational read. David’s 25-year-old daughter was given it as a present and has since shared it with friends, family and David himself.

 

Our main take away from the book: obstacles are everywhere but they can all be overcome. This book memorialises women whose stories have been forgotten and gives inspirational women of the past a platform upon which to tell their story. From marginalised women who did not accept their position on the sidelines to the women who, in the face of imprisonment continue to fight for their right to be free. The book is full of pioneers and will inspire both men and women alike.

 

To end our review, we’d like to leave you with a quote from the introduction as it feels as if it could have been plucked from any one of the entrepreneurial books sitting on our shelves:

 

‘May each reader know the greatest success is to live a life full of passion, curiosity and generosity. May we all remember every day that we have the right to be happy and to explore widely.’

 

Enjoy!