Too often, girls become aware before the age of twelve that they’re judged on their looks and lose the  freedom of youth that every child deserves. Between reality TV,  beauty pageants, Victoria’s Secret models and gossip magazines, the pressures of a superficial society are far too ready to implant themselves in little girls minds.

The aim of Parker’s work is to show girls as their emotional, sometimes dirty, messy selves exactly as they really are and make them proud of what they see.

“My main goal was expanding the definition of what ‘strong’ means,” says Parker .

“There are almost 200 girls in this book…they represent a vast number of human stories, ranging from small moments of achievement to persistent struggles against adversity.”

Looking at these photos, we can see exactly why they have been so popular with so many people, they’re an honest portrayal of how it feels to be a ten year old girl and playing out with your friends.

“I grew up playing sports, and the girls I emulated were the girls that were really strong and confident,” explains Parker.

“They didn’t have the time to worry about how they looked, and so I came to understand that their worth was determined by something different, something stronger.”

Now, Parker’s photos manage to give other girls this sense of self…. That’s pretty amazing.