In a handwritten submission featured in the book, one girl wrote: “I just want to be held. Loved for who I am. Listened to.” Another wrote, “Every time I make a wish, on an eyelash or a shooting star or a birthday candle, I always wish for romance and love.”
“The photos also really illustrate the importance of friendship,” Engelbrecht said. “You see how important female relationships are with one another. This strikes at a really early age.”
In answer to the question, “What are you most proud of?” one girl wrote, “Myself. I think I’m beautiful and I can do anything.” Another wrote, “The things I have accomplished. And surviving being a teenage girl so far.”