I looked at 100 best-selling picture books: female protagonists were largely invisible

In the female-led stories, protagonists only showed ambition for traditional feminine pursuits. There were three ballerinas, three princesses and one fashion designer – Claris, a mouse, who “dreamed about clothes” and “read about handbags in Vanity Fair”. … In comparison, the male-led stories showed protagonists in roles ranging from farmers and chefs to zookeepers and scientists.