In this inspiring picture book from New York Times-bestselling author Meena Harris, a young girl sees words like "too ambitious" and "too assertive" being yelled at a strong woman on TV and it sends her on a journey of discovery through past, present, and future about the limits put on women and girls and the ways in which they can resist, assist, coexist, and excel.

As Ambitious Girl says:

No "too that" or "too this"
will stop what's inside me from flowering
From now on, when I hear "too that" or "too this"
I won't mind - it's empowering!

And as Meena writes in her author's note in the back of the book, after she heard a member of her own family deemed "too ambitious" in the media:

"I felt a new sense of urgency to make sure my young daughters-and girls all over-would have the tools and language to reframe, redefine, and reclaim what they will inevitably hear in the 'real world.' In writing this book, my greatest hope is that girls dare to define their own unique purpose in the world, and that they grow into strong, ambitious women."

About the Author

Meena Harris was born into a family of ambitious women whose legacy continues to inspire her. Her grandmother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher and civil rights activist; her mother, Maya Harris, is a lawyer and policy expert; and her aunt, Kamala Harris, is a Unites States senator from California.Meena herself is a lawyer and entrepreneur, as well as a New York Times-bestselling author. In 2017 she founded Phenomenal, a female-powered organization that brings awareness to social causes. She currently resides in San Francisco with her partner and two daughters.


Marissa Valdez grew up on the South Texas border, dreaming that one day she'd be drawing for her job. Marissa graduated with a BFA in Animation from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and has worked as a preschool teacher, graphic designer and freelance illustrator since. Marissa hopes that her work encourages young girls to be ambitious and to dream big. She lives in Houston, Texas with her two ambitiously large cats. You can learn more about her at marissavaldez.com.

Book Information
ISBN 9780316229692
Author Meena Harris
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Little, Brown Young Readers
Publisher Little, Brown & Company
Weight(grams) 320g
Dimensions(mm) 260mm * 212mm * 18mm