MILEY CYRUS: A GIRL WHO CAN’T BE TAMED

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miley_Cyrus

Miley Cyrus was originally born Destiny Hope, but her parents would always call her “Smiley,” which would later evolve into Miley. Her desire to be an actress began early as she sat on the side and watched her father Billy Ray Cyrus perform on the TV series Doc, and it wasn’t long until she soon wanted to be in front of the camera and not on the side. When Miley finally started her acting career, it wasn’t as easy as most people think. It was actually filled with rejection, more than she could count at times. However, Miley kept stepping up to the plate to try again. Finally, she landed the role as Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel show of the same name. Very quickly, she became a teen idol and household name. Since her television series on Disney, she has become a successful musician with three number one albums and has starred in a few feature films, such as The Last Song.

“When life puts you in a tough situation, don’t say ‘Why me,’ say ‘Try me.’ ”

—Miley Cyrus

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS: A MODERN ROLE MODEL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_Anderson-Emmons

Aubrey is a child actress who played young Lily Tucker-Pritchett on ABC’s Modern Family. In the show, Lily, a Vietnamese-born child, is adopted
by a gay couple in America. Her performance in the role earned Aubrey praise for bringing more diversity and cultural awareness onto the screen. When she was four, she and the rest of the Modern Family cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Ensemble) in a Comedy Series. As part of the ensemble, she became the youngest person to ever win a SAG award. She currently spends much of her time doing charity work for a number of different organizations.

‘‘No matter what it is you want to do in life, it’s important to be yourself.”

—Aubrey Anderson Emmons

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

DARLA HOOD: THE LITTLE RASCAL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darla_Hood

Darla was an American child actress who played the lead role in the Little Rascals. Darla got her love for the arts from her mother who taught her appreciation and skill for singing and dancing. Her career finally took
off when she made her debut, unplanned, at the Edison Hotel in Times Square. The leader of the band invited her onto the stage, where she received an exuberant reaction from the audience. Luckily for Darla, agent Joe Rivkin happened to be in the audience that same night. He witnessed her performance and quickly signed a long-term contract with her. Her pay was $75 weekly, which is equal to $27,375 today. Because Darla went onstage that night, she is now one of the youngest actresses, and we should learn from Darla’s serendipitous big break that every moment is an opportunity!

“Take my heart, but please don’t break it.” —Darla Hood

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

STORM REID: TAKING THE WORLD BY STORM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_Reid

Storm Reid’s acting career began when she was three. A string of small roles eventually led to her film debut in 2013’s 12 Years a Slave. This performance was followed by an appearance in the superhero movie Sleight, and then her breakout: Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. She also made numerous appearances on television, including NCIS: Los Angeles and Chicago P.D. She currently plays roles on the HBO series Euphoria and the Netflix series Central Park. In an interview with The Washington Post she said that her main goal was to “represent girls who look like me and let them know they can do anything.”

“I’m gonna take this world by storm. Pun intended.” —Storm Reid

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

ANNIE OAKLEY: A SHARPSHOOTER

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Oakley

Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moss on August 13, 1860, in Darke County, Ohio. Her father passed away when she was six years old, and her mother was left with six children to support. To lighten the load off her mother, Annie moved in with the family of Superintendent Edington. She stayed at the county infirmary, which housed a number of individuals unable to care for themselves, including children and elderly folks. In exchange for education and a place to stay, Annie would help take care of the orphaned children. This is where Annie’s lifelong compassion for children comes from. When she returned to her family at thirteen years old, Annie’s mother had remarried. However, their finances were still poor, so Annie started using the old rifle her father had left them to hunt game and help feed her family. Annie started to become extremely successful at shooting, more than she thought would be. What started out to just help feed her family and help pay the mortgage eventually turned into a sport. She became known for her notable shooting skills and was invited to shoot against well-known marksmen when she was just fifteen years old. She became a performer of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, making her an international star as she grew in fame to perform for important figures and royalty.

“Aim at a high mark and you’ll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time. Maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect.”

—Annie Oakley

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

AUDREY HEPBURN: ELEGANCE NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audrey_Hepburn

Audrey was born in Ixelles, Brussels, but she spent most of her childhood in England, Belgium, and Amsterdam. After studying ballet with Sonia Gaskell in Amsterdam, she moved to London and began performing in West End theatrical productions as a chorus girl. She soon after started picking up minor appearances in films, however, it wasn’t until Audrey starred in the Broadway production of Gigi that her career really started to take flight. After her appearance in Gigi, she landed the lead role in the film Roman Holiday and her career was never the same! She became a household name and a young girl that everyone wanted to both be and look like! Audrey set a whole new standard for fashion as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She soon became a fashion icon for decades to follow. She is also one of only a few actresses to earn EGOT status, wining an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, ‘I’m Possible.’ ” —Audrey Hepburn

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

SHIRLEY TEMPLE: FROM CHILD ACTRESS TO GlOBAL AMBASSADOR

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Temple

Shirley Temple, most easily recognized for her golden corkscrew curls, began working as a child actress since she was three years old. Born in California in 1928, she was discovered by a film corporation while at her dance school. Educational Films Corporation contracted her to perform in all-kid comedy films that parodied adult roles and recent events. She rose to fame after her appearance in Bright Eyes, and from there she continued to star in hit films that made her the number one box office draw in all of Hollywood. Her wholesome image brought a dose of happiness to Americans during the Great Depression. Following her highly successful career as a child actress, she became a diplomat and ambassador for the United States.

“Be brave and clear. Follow your heart and don’t be overly influenced by outside factors. Be true to yourself.”

—Shirley Temple

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

MISTY COPELAND: TAKING CENTER STAGE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misty_Copeland

Misty Copeland is the first African American woman to become a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre. She began learning ballet when she was thirteen, which is usually considered a bit late. Her family’s financial situation made it difficult for her to begin her dance studies, but once she started, it was only a few months before she moved up en pointe and became a young prodigy. She played a lead role in The Nutcracker just eight months after starting ballet, and was performing on a professional level shortly after that. This was absolutely unheard of amongst classical dancers, as many ballerinas spend their whole lives training to reach that point. She drew lots of media attention and quickly became a prominent figure in ballet.

“The path to your success is not as fixed and inflexible as you think.”

—Misty Copeland

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

TAYLOR SWIFT: COUNTRY STAR TURNED POP SENSATION

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Swift

Taylor Swift is one of America’s most famous singers and songwriters. However, before all the glam and fame, she spent her childhood in Reading, Pennsylvania as a simple girl singing at county fairs and local events. Yet, the simple life did not fit a girl with such a big voice. Her parents quickly recognized their daughter’s talent and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to help pursue her music career. After an amazing performance at the Bluebird Café in Nashville when she was fourteen, she landed her first record deal with Borchetta’s Big Records. Soon after her record deal, she released her single “Tim McGraw,” and it quickly became a chart-topping country music hit. The single also appeared on her debut album, which sold around five million copies. At the time of writing, she has nine successful albums and has won many awards, including Grammy Awards for Best Album and Best Video, the Billboard Music Award for Woman of the Year, and so many more.

“Words can break someone into a million of pieces, but they can also put them back together. I hope you use yours for good.”

—Taylor Swift

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

RUPI KAUR: AN OLD SOUL WITH A FRESH TAKE ON LIFE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupi_Kaur

Viral poet Rupi Kaur got her start on Instagram, where she would post photographs of her poetry for her online audience. In 2015 she published milk and honey, a collection of poetry and prose that was incredibly successful on the book market. It is primarily about survival, and highlights themes related to femininity, heartbreak, love, and sexual trauma. Rupi has made headlines for her activism and condemnation of the taboos surrounding menstruation. Many attribute a recent revival in poetry sales to her work, and it is clear that she has played a pivotal role in getting a whole generation of young people interested in the craft of poetry.

“We grew up in a time with every single one of our moves being recorded and documented forever and in that was this idea that we can’t make mistakes, but when that’s not happening, you’re also not growing.”

—Rupi Kaur

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.