Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

Rebel Girls

A fairy tale podcast for kids about real life extraordinary women from all over the world. Based on the bestselling series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, each episode explores the lives of women from the books, encouraging young listeners to ask questions and explore their interests. read less

Our Editor's Take

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls offers true tales about amazing women. This podcast is for parents who want to send their kids to bed feeling empowered. Based on the bestselling books of the same title, each episode highlights a woman from the series.

Fans of the books may enjoy learning more about their favorite women, like Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton. Kids with all interests and identities may find a piece of themselves in these episodes. What is unique about this show is that some of the women reading the stories are formidable in their own right. “Oprah Winfrey Read by Gayle King” tells the story of her best friend. Winfrey, a poor girl in Mississippi, became the most popular talk show host of all time. King is a top TV personality as well. The podcast then has a separate episode about King's life.

Other podcast episodes tell amazing stories. “Joan Jett Read by Donita Sparks” tells the tale of the “Godmother of Punk.” Sparks is also a punk musician. Then Jett herself reads a story about punk singer Kathleen Hanna. Young athletes may enjoy "Goaling for Gold," featuring soccer player Megan Rapinoe. "Chloe Kim: Queen of the Halfpipe," shows how a young snowboarder overcame bullying to win a gold medal. In “Poorna Malavath: Reach for the Top,” fans will meet a girl who scaled Mount Everest at only 13 years old!

An LGBTQ-themed episode discusses Marsha P. Johnson. The transgender activist's story teaches the importance of self-expression. In discovering her true self, she found a loving community. Young environmentalists will meet Greta Thunberg, narrated by Jameela Jamil.

Young Black girls will find inspiration in many of these episodes. A story about Beyoncé Knowles and Blue Ivy Carter celebrates the singer and her daughter. Another episode talks about tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams.

Bedtime will bring the possibility to meet lesser-known changemakers too. Listeners can hear about Esther Okade, a passionate mathematician. In "Edmonia Lewis Read By Dana King," listeners meet a sculptor with massive talent. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls proves girls can do anything, especially when uniting for change.

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Kids & FamilyKids & Family

Stories for KidsStories for Kids

Education for KidsEducation for Kids

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Awesome Entrepreneurs: Rihanna, Mikaila Ulmer, Anjali Sud, Aileen Lee

Awesome Entrepreneurs: Rihanna, Mikaila Ulmer, Anjali Sud, Aileen Lee

Rihanna, Aileen Lee, Mikaila Ulmer and Anjali Sud: these rebels followed their dreams to become successful leaders in business. They come from different backgrounds and end up in very different places, but a tough rebel spirit connects them all. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Camille Stennis with sound design and mixing by Bianca Salinas. It was written by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Julia Boorstin. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Episodes

Awesome Entrepreneurs: Rihanna, Mikaila Ulmer, Anjali Sud, Aileen Lee

Awesome Entrepreneurs: Rihanna, Mikaila Ulmer, Anjali Sud, Aileen Lee

Rihanna, Aileen Lee, Mikaila Ulmer and Anjali Sud: these rebels followed their dreams to become successful leaders in business. They come from different backgrounds and end up in very different places, but a tough rebel spirit connects them all. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Camille Stennis with sound design and mixing by Bianca Salinas. It was written by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Julia Boorstin. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Get to Know Ariana Bravo

Get to Know Ariana Bravo

Ariana Bravo is a Formula 1 presenter, host, and HUGE fan of racing. She's a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and is an ambassador for Girls on Track UK. With her microphone in hand, Ariana tells viewers around the world about the fastest cars on earth and the people who drive them. And one day, Rebels, that could be you behind the wheel! This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This interview was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by John Marshall Media. Our intern was Arianna Griffiths. Our executive producers were Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Susie Wolff Read by Ariana Bravo

Susie Wolff Read by Ariana Bravo

Susie always loved to go fast. So when she had the chance to get behind the wheel of one of the fastest cars on earth - she took it. Now with Formula 1 Academy, she’s inspiring the next generation of female drivers to drive fast and win. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Elena Favili. Fact-checking by Eliza Kirby. Narration by Formula 1 presenter Ariana Bravo. Our intern was Arianna Griffiths. Joy Smith was our executive producer. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

SOUNDSCAPE BONUS! Awesome Autumn

SOUNDSCAPE BONUS! Awesome Autumn

Ah, Fall! The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling off, and there is so much relaxing fun to be had. Join us for the sounds of a farmers market, bike rides together, time outside in the park, apple orchards, and a nighttime bonfire. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. This soundscape was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Craig Billmeier. Our executive producer was Joy Smith. A big thanks to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible.

SLEEPY BONUS! Nora Al Matrooshi: Aiming for the Moon

SLEEPY BONUS! Nora Al Matrooshi: Aiming for the Moon

As a kid Nora fell in love with outer-space and knew that one day she wanted to visit the moon. This is the story of a girl who set her sights on the stars and is working as hard as she can to reach them. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Olivia Riçhard with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Emily McMahon-Wattez. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Yasmeen Ansari-Roberts. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Manami Matsumae: The Music of Emotion

Manami Matsumae: The Music of Emotion

Manami Matsumae is a legendary Japanese video game composer who made the music for famous video games like Mega Man and Shovel Knight. Trained as a classical pianist, Manami has become an icon in an industry that is still dominated by men. Through her music, she shows how powerful creativity can be for expressing feelings, building worlds, and creating community! This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced and directed by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Elena Favili and edited by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Mariko B.. Joy Smith was our executive producer. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Election Special! Maria Teresa Kumar

Election Special! Maria Teresa Kumar

María Teresa Kumar knew from the time she became a US citizen at the age of nine that she wanted to be involved in the democratic process. As CEO of Voto Latino, she has helped register over one million Latinx voters to have their voices heard. Rebel Grownups can go to vote.gov to make a voting plan today. And don't forget to vote in the U.S. election on November 5th, 2024. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Nicole Haroutunian and edited by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Paola Mendoza. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Lauren Cascio: Create Without Fear

Lauren Cascio: Create Without Fear

Lauren Cascio is a leading innovator in product design and technology. By following her heart and creating without fear of failure, Lauren challenges herself and opens up new channels for people to connect online and in real life. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Abby Sher. Narration by Gina Scarpa. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to Lauren Cascio and the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Leena and Bhakti Sharma: Five Oceans, Seven Seas

Leena and Bhakti Sharma: Five Oceans, Seven Seas

Growing up in the “City of Lakes,” Leena loved to swim, though it was uncommon for girls in India. Her daughter Bhakti loved swimming so much that she made a goal to swim in all five oceans, and the seven seas! Does she do it? Dive in to find out! [This episode originally aired February 2022.] This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls and is based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus. Sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Emily McMahon-Wattez and edited by Abby Sher. Main narration by Bhavnisha Parmar. Our kid host for this story was Mercer Barton Griffin. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. A big thanks to the whole Rebel Girls team who makes this show possible! For more, visit rebelgirls.com. Until next time, stay REBEL!

Jill Campbell: Endless Possibilities

Jill Campbell: Endless Possibilities

Jill Campbell is a designer, product manager, artist, engineer, and so much more. With her combined skills, Jill is leading the internet into its next frontier. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Abby Sher. Narration by Christine Pollnow. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to Tara Franz and the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Get to know Elena Favilli

Get to know Elena Favilli

Get to know Elena Favilli who read us the story of Alfonsina Strada! Elena is a writer, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Rebel Girls. Listen to Elena talk about her childhood in Italy, how she conceived of Rebel Girls, and how she can relate to bicyclist Alfonsina Strada! This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This interview was produced by Deborah Goldstein with sound design and mixing by John Marshall Media. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Our executive producers are Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Alfonsina Strada Read by Elena Favilli

Alfonsina Strada Read by Elena Favilli

Alfonsina Strada discovered cycling in the early 1900s when Italian women were supposed to be focused on home and family. She ignored the gossip and entered the Giro d’Italia bike race using a man’s name, becoming the first and only woman to ride in the world-famous event. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Deborah Goldstein with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Gina Gotsill. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Elena Favilli. Our executive producers were Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Get To Know Merritt Moore

Get To Know Merritt Moore

Get to know physicist and ballet dancer Dr. Merritt Moore, who brought us the story of roboticist Yoky Matsuoka. Merritt tells us about creating her dual path in arts and science, and what drew her into these different fields. She also tells us why Yoky’s story resonated so strongly with her, as she hid parts of herself from the world. And she shares her ultimate goal of going to the moon! [This episode originally aired April 2021.]

Yoky Matsuoka Read By Merritt Moore

Yoky Matsuoka Read By Merritt Moore

When Yoky Matsuoka was growing up in Tokyo, Japan, in the 1980s, she dreamed of becoming a world-famous tennis player. But when repeated injuries dashed her hopes, she found her way to a new dream: to create a robot who could play tennis with her. Yoky’s curiosity about the world, her limitless appetite for knowledge, and her ability to draw together different fields of study would one day lead her to become a pioneering force in the emerging field of neurobotics—and to create the most human-like robotic hand the world has ever seen. [This episode originally aired April 2021.] About the Narrator Physicist and ballet dancer Dr. Merritt Moore believes that the arts and sciences should not be mutually exclusive, and she inspires young women around the world to pursue their dreams. She graduated with Magna Cum Laude Honors in Physics from Harvard and graduated with a PhD in Atomic and Laser Physics from the University of Oxford. She also pursues a professional ballet career, previously with the Zurich Ballet, Boston Ballet, English National Ballet, and Norwegian National Ballet. Currently she works on creating dances with robots and was recently invited as one of the first artist-in-residence at Harvard ArtLab to create a duet between a human dancer and an industrial robotic arm. Credits This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Executive Producer was Katie Sprenger. This episode was produced, sound designed, and mixed by Camille Stennis. This episode was written by Alexis Stratton. Proofread by Ariana Rosas. A special thanks to the whole Rebel Girls team, who make this podcast possible! Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. For more, visit www.rebelgirls.com.

SLEEPY BONUS! Kotchakorn Voraakhom: Ebb and Flow

SLEEPY BONUS! Kotchakorn Voraakhom: Ebb and Flow

Kotchakorn Voraakhom makes sure nature comes first. As a Thai landscape architect, she works with new realities like flooding and rising waters, using her ingenuity and out-of-the-box thinking to revolutionize public park design. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced and directed by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Nicole Haroutunian and edited by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Sura Siu. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Lucy Kirk: Mission Possible

Lucy Kirk: Mission Possible

Lucy Kirk always dreamed of traveling the world. When she got hired as a CIA agent, she thought she had finally found a path to explore. But then each opportunity went to a man instead. In time, Lucy found her voice and her adventures followed! This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Emily McMahon-Wattez. Narration by Gina Scarpa. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Thank you to Lucy Kirk and the whole Rebel Girls team who made this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Get To Know Zainab Salbi

Get To Know Zainab Salbi

Get to know Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, who narrated the story of Malala Yousafzai. In this interview, Salbi tells us how she escaped from the Saddam Hussein dictatorship and learned to use your voice and exercise her freedom of speech. She also tells us how she found the strength to tell her own story by gaining inspiration from women she worked with in war torn countries. And she tells us how she finds hope even in the darkest times and most challenging places. [This episode originally aired March 2021.]

Malala Yousafzai Read By Zainab Salbi

Malala Yousafzai Read By Zainab Salbi

Education and peace activist Malala Yousafzai became a household name because of her vocal activism around the education of girls in her hometown in Pakistan. In 2012, at only 15 years old, she was shot by members of the Taliban for her work. Malala survived the attack and has since become an internationally known advocate and the youngest person ever to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. Today, Malala continues raising her voice at every turn to draw attention to the plight of girls around the world and to advocate for peace “in every home, every street, every village, every country.” [This episode originally aired March 2021.] About the Narrator Zainab Salbi is best known as an international humanitarian, journalist and author. After decades of working in the shadow of violent conflict, Salbi has emerged as a leading advocate for unity at a time of deepening divides. She is the author of Between Two Worlds - Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam, The Other Side of War: Women’s Stories of Survival and Hope, If you Knew Me You Would Care, and her latest, Freedom Is an Inside Job: Owning Our Darkness and Our Light to Heal Ourselves and the World. She is also the founder of Women For Women International. Credits This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls, Inc. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Executive Producer is Katie Sprenger. This episode was produced, sound designed, and mixed by Isaac Kaplan-Woolner, written by Alexis Stratton and proofread by Ariana Rosas. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Special thanks to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. For more, visit www.rebelgirls.com.

Get To Know D’atra “Dee Dee” Jackson

Get To Know D’atra “Dee Dee” Jackson

Get to know organizer, trainer, big sister, godmother of four, and National Director of BYP100, D’atra “Dee Dee” Jackson. D’atra tells us how her grandmother inspires her, and how kids and younger people can really make a difference in the world. She also tells us how she stays healthy and strong while fighting for equality as an activist. [This episode originally aired February 2021.]

Sojourner Truth Read By D'Atra "Dee Dee" Jackson

Sojourner Truth Read By D'Atra "Dee Dee" Jackson

Once there was a girl whose powerful voice would inspire people to fight for equality. Her name was Isabella Baumfree, but we know her now as Sojourner Truth. She was a Black woman born into slavery in Dutch-speaking rural New York in 1797. She escaped to freedom after nearly 30 years of being enslaved, was one of the first Black women to successfully sue a white man, and later changed her name to Sojourner, becoming a abolitionist and suffragist fighting for equality and women’s rights. [This episode originally aired February 2021.] About the Narrator Organizer and trainer D’atra “Dee Dee” Jackson is Co-Founder of the Durham Chapter of Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100). Dee Dee has had her hand in efforts and actions such as bringing Participatory Budgeting to Durham, Justice for Reefa campaign, and Black Mama's/Black August Bail Outs. Now, as the National Director of BYP100, she dreams of freedom, Black worlds, and building a movement of ungovernable and strategic lovers of Black liberation. Credits This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Executive Producers are Jes Wolfe and Katie Sprenger. This episode was produced by Isaac Kaplan-Woolner. Sound design by Elettra Bargiacchi and final mix by Mattia Marcelli. Corinne Peterson is Production Manager. This episode was written by Gina Gotsill. Proofread by Ariana Rosas. It was narrated by D’atra Jackson. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. For more, visit www.rebelgirls.com. Until next time, stay rebel!