HILARY DUFF
Encourages Girls to Reach Higher and Dream Bigger
by Melissa Fales • photos by Ashley Barrett
Twenty years ago, Hilary Duff starred in the Disney Channel’s popular TV series, Lizzie McGuire, portraying the ever-relatable, always likable teenage title character. Today, Duff is all grown up, a mother of two with a third on the way, and releasing her debut picture book, My Little Brave Girl. The book, a veritable love letter from Duff to her young daughter, has an uplifting message about the innate power and strength girls possess. “During the process of creating this book, I hoped it would resonate with girls throughout many stages of their lives and remind them just how capable they are, that failure is okay, and that being brave isn’t always easy but will always pay off,” Duff says.
After Lizzie McGuire ended in 2004, Duff continued acting, appearing in movies including Cheaper by the Dozen and its sequel, Agent Cody Banks and A Cinderella Story. Duff returned to television in 2015 for her current gig, starring as Kelsey Peters in TV Land’s show Younger. As much as Duff prizes her career, however, her favorite role to date is that of mother. “Luca is almost nine and I’m absolutely loving this age and time with him,” she says. “He’s definitely testing an attitude, but I can’t help to think it’s funny because he’s just all goodness inside. Banks is almost two and a half and I am OBSESSED with her! She’s a walking, talking hurricane-and-a-half, but we wouldn’t change a thing about her!”
Duff says becoming a mother has changed her for the better. “Motherhood is all-consuming,” she says. “Not a minute goes by of any day that you’re not putting your kids first and thinking about what’s going to be best for them. It’s my complete honor and privilege to be their mother. The fulfillment and happiness I get from the tiniest things, I feel forever grateful for.”
My Little Brave Girl is Duff’s first picture book, but Duff is already an accomplished author. Elixir, the first novel in her supernatural YA series which debuted in 2010, was a New York Times bestseller. “I got inspired by a couple of different YA series, Twilight being one of them,” she says. “Honestly, it was one of the hardest experiences of my life. Character development is very hard and time-consuming … I can’t see myself writing another series like that at this point. I could see myself writing more of a script, short stories, or an autobiography.”
By contrast, says Duff, writing My Little Brave Girl was simple. “The whole experience of writing My Little Brave Girl came about so naturally,” she says, adding that she was moved by the real-world challenges she experienced as a mother returning to work after the birth of her daughter. “I was four months postpartum and in my first week of going back to work full-time,” she says. “I made it home for my midnight feeding with my daughter one night after work and basically wrote the book in the Notes app on my iPhone. I kept looking at my daughter and thinking about how brave she had to be when I was the only source of comfort she really knew. It triggered a lot of thoughts about all the big steps she will have to take and all of the ways she will have to be brave throughout her life.”
Duff says when she typed those notes into her phone, she had no idea they would turn into something that would be in the hands of families, sharing the same bittersweet experience. “I’m so grateful for my publishers, who believed in my simple words, sparked by an authentically emotional night sitting in my cozy Brooklyn apartment.”
“This book isn’t just about self-acceptance or surface-level beauty. It’s about dismantling oppressive systems and stepping into power. This is the page where that all comes together and one that can generate a lot of beautiful discussion for people of all ages.”
My Little Brave Girl is published by Random House Children’s Books. “We’re thrilled to be working with Hilary Duff on this beautiful book,” says Caroline Abbey, the editorial director of Random House Children’s Books. “Her openness regarding the challenges and joys of being a parent is something many people relate to and connect with. My Little Brave Girl’s empowering message is one that will resonate with parents and daughters of all ages.”
My Little Brave Girl is illustrated by Kelsey Garrity-Riley. “I’m such a huge fan of her work,” says Duff. “I had a strong vision of the brave girls and their adventures for this book, and I can’t quite put into words how Kelsey brought the book to life with her tender and spirited illustrations. She surpassed my vision completely. I love that the book has a classic, timeless feel with modern aspects.”
Looking ahead, Duff is already mulling over what the topic of her next children’s book may be. “I’m thinking something geared towards boys, as my son has taught me so much throughout my journey of motherhood,” she says.
Duff says the message of My Little Brave Girl is simple: that girls should know and trust their own potential. “I want girls to know their future is boundless, to be brave and take risks, and to approach life with an open heart,” she says. “I hope this book makes a tough night for a parent seem a little less alone and inspires girls to get up, stand up, be loud, and reach as high as they can at any age.”
For more information about Hilary Duff and her books, find her @hilaryduff.
