Emily Antenucci is a double alumna from Villanova University, with a bachelor’s degree in Communication (‘15) and an MBA (‘21). As an undergraduate, she spent time studying abroad, developing a love for travel that is integral to her newly-published children’s book, Little Girls in the Big, Wide World. The book is inspired by the strong female influences in Antenucci’s life and her own appreciation for travel, and she seeks to spread the wisdom that she has gained from her personal experiences and those of loved ones.
Little Girls in the Big, Wide World follows the journeys of three little girls who travel the world. Through the stories of the girls, the book seeks to empower children, especially young girls, by exploring the importance of chasing and believing in one’s dreams, as well as showing readers that the world is large and the possibilities are innumerable.
When asked about her book’s focus on travel, Antenucci drew on her own experiences and the relationship she has with exploring the world.
“[Travel] really opened my eyes,” Antenucci said. “You get to eat different foods. You get to see different cities, different ways of living, different ways that people communicate with one another. To me, that’s super important to understand different ways of life. It opened my mind to be more empathetic, to see things from different points of view and know that there’s a lot more out there.”
Travel and exploration are sources of personal and philosophical enrichment, as well as tools to help children see endless possibilities for their future. Antenucci noted her experience hiking Half Dome in Yosemite as a source of inspiration for this book.
“It is something I would have never dreamt that I would have done when I was 10 years old, I didn’t even know it existed then,” Antenucci said. “But I also don’t think my mind was open to that at that time. I wish I would have had more of a line of sight to all the wonderful places in the world and the extreme activities that we can push ourselves beyond our limits and achieve.”
Another important influence for Antenucci was Mattel’s Dream Gap campaign. The Dream Gap refers to the feeling many girls have of not being as valuable or capable as men. It is an ideology that holds girls back from pursuing dreams that may be important to them, and one that this book hopes to fight.
“When I thought of the book, I was really driven to inspire little girls to really understand that they can dream big, make a difference and follow their goals that they set for themselves,” Antenucci said. “Ultimately, I want them to feel the potential they have within themselves and know that there are a lot of different places in the world and different things to learn and they are capable of that.”
In Little Girls in the Big, Wide World, Antenucci empowers young readers and encourages them to follow their big dreams. The book contains many valuable messages important for people at any age, but especially children. Antenucci’s book is available for purchase on Amazon and is a Prime Product through the retailer.
