Books Are Door-Shaped is a poem from the verse novel The Lightning Dreamer by Margarita Engle. The poem depicts a girl whose parents forbid her from reading, believing it isn’t a “proper” activity for girls. Despite her parents' rules, the girl imagines marvelous and magical stories of her own, and especially loves tales with female main characters.

Margarita Engle is the author of numerous novels, memoirs and picture books. Born in Los Angeles, much of her poetry is influenced by her mother’s Cuban heritage.

Imagine a book series you know with a male main character, like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. What if the main character was a girl instead? Write a story set in that world with a female main character!