Health & Lifestyle

Book Of Feminist Fairytales Outsells ‘Harry Potter’

Published on: June 29, 2017 at 12:44 PM
By Stacey Cole

Sensational feminist fairytales authored by two women, who suffered sexist abuse, has now outsold Harry Potter in the U.K., the homeland of author J.K. Rowling.

Feminist fairytales Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls self-published by authors Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo, who were laughed at and endured sexist jokes in meetings, feature 100 bedtime stories about amazing and powerful women.

While the list of Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls includes such iconic figures as Cleopatra, Elizabeth I, and Malala Yousafzai (and even Hillary Clinton), there’s a new volume that will tell the mesmerizing stories of Beyoncé and J.K. Rowling in the works.

After years of sexist remarks and jibes from investors, the two women decided to self-publish the 100 feminist fairytales, which went on to become a huge hit.

The Daily Mail reports that Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls has become a major success both in the U.K. and around the world after the project became one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns in history.

The tremendous popularity of the feminist fairytales – fueled by stories of Favilli and Cavallo facing sexist abuse in their attempts to publish the book – has become one of U.K.’s 2017 bestsellers and is now outselling Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone .

After suffering from sexist abuse in business meetings trying to publish Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls , the two female authors decided to seek help on Kickstarter.

In April 2016, Favilli and Cavallo launched their Kickstarter campaign and, much to everyone’s surprise, raised over $1 million and had plenty of people talking about it.

While sexists and critics continued trashing the feminist fairytales and saying that the project was doomed to fail, Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls was published last December and is now a worldwide hit.

The book’s success can also be attributed to Favilli’s and Cavallo’s outrageous personal stories of sexist incidents that had occurred to them while trying to publish the book.

After being told that their feminist fairytales were “nice but too small,” the authors are now showing their critics and sexist investors a big, fat middle finger.

It seems that the pair made the right call when they decided to self-publish Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls , as the book is now one of the U.K.’s fastest selling hardbacks of 2017, topped only by Mary Berry and Tom Kerridge.

The book of 100 feminist fairy tales about real women has spread all around the world amid feminist sentiments on the rise.

Given the huge success of Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls , Favilli and Cavallo last week announced that the popular book of feminist fairytales will be back for volume two, featuring stories about Beyoncé and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, as well as mathematician Mary Jackson, whose amazing story was recently depicted in the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures .

Not only is Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls a good read for adults, but also children, as the authors tell the Daily Mail that children’s books are “still packed with gender stereotypes,” while their feminist fairytales offer a brand new look at this world.

“Our stories show examples of real women who achieved extraordinary results in every field imaginable.”

Favilli and Cavallo explained that parents reading Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls to their daughters can encourage young girls to “explore, learn and dream without limits” through the 100 amazing stories about the lives of 100 extraordinary, but real women from the past and the present.

While most fairy tales usually depict women as weak and in need of a prince, brother, or hunter to be saved, the feminist fairytales show that real women do not need the help of men to achieve great success and conquer the world.

[Featured Image by Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock]

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