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8 The Girl-Positive Library feminists that intersect with issues that are of import to young ­ w omen, partic- ularly related to identity, bodily autonomy, peer relationships, and sex, while backgrounding issues they ­ will encounter as they enter dif­fer­ent life stages. Once girlhoods are defined, I ­will review YA lit­er­a­ture through a feminist lens that interrogates the messages within titles. What girlhoods are at play? Does the character challenge or promote the versions of girlhood defined by adults? And what is the result of the character arc? And the implications of that positioning. I ­will examine how the issues are presented. The goal being to provide both reading suggestions and a model for interrogating messages that are implicit in text. By constant questioning, by revisiting girlhood repre­ sen­ t a­ t ions in current YA titles with an eye ­ t owards how girlhood is constructed, we can and may have an opportunity to be allies to young ­ w omen. Reader Questions Some thoughts to ponder: 1. How do you read a text? 2. What are your assumptions about culture? 3. How might this impact your reading? OVERVIEW OF THE TEXT In Chapter Two: Defining Girlhood in Popu­lar Culture I introduce the cycle of creating a narrative of girlhood, including common girlhoods seen in media other than YA lit­er­a­ture. I include common examples of the girlhood that are easily recognizable and primarily circulated through film or tele­vi­sion, even when they originated in YA lit­ e r­ a ­ ture. Chapter Three: Feminist Issues and Girl- hood highlights issues of par­tic­u­lar concern to girls that are traditional femi- nist concerns, although it attempts to also underscore how ­ t hese issues should not ignore intersectionality. In Chapter Four: Reading as a Feminist I explore girlhoods in YA lit­ e r­ a ­ ture. In Chapter Five: Reviews I offer summaries and dis- cussion of a smattering of titles, with discussion questions as models of how to read as a feminist, and how ­ t hese books offer a vision of a complex girl- hood. Fi­nally, in Chapter Six: Activities ­there are activities that can be used in tandem or alone to engage youth in defining, recognizing, and critiquing cultural messages related to defining girl.