The purpose of the thesis is to investigate whether young girls are able to find literature that confirms their identity in the public libraries. The main focus of the study is put on the gender of the leading parts in novels for young people. Interviews with librarians have been executed, as well as with the head of the institute of children's books. Studies of the debate that has been taken place in media in recent years are being presented, as are studies of brochures with book recommendations edited by Bibliotekstjänst. The results show that boys are represented to a far larger extent than are girls as to leading parts. Women write considerably more often about boys than men write about girls. There are also differences between men's and women's way of writing, in topics as well as in style.