Kids' Books Celebrating Change Making Women.
Learn all about extraordinary women with these books!
I Am Malala Yousafza by Brad Meltzer
Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of seventeen for speaking out against injustice even when it was terrifying to do so. She was an ordinary Muslim girl who wanted to attend school, and she refused to stop protesting for her rights even after being attacked by a powerful group in Pakistan who wanted women to remain in the shadows. She continues to fight for women's rights and free education for children all over the world.
My Name is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: la vida de Gabriela Mistral by Monica Brown Gabriela Mistral loved words and sounds and stories. Born in Chile, she would grow to become the first Nobel Prize-winning Latina woman in the world. As a poet and a teacher, she inspired children across many countries to let their voices be heard.
A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon by Suzanne Slade
Shares the story of the pioneering African American mathematician, Katherine Johnson, who helped calculate America's first manned flight into space, its first manned orbit of Earth, and the world's first trip to the moon.
Milloo's Mind: The Story of Maryam Faruqi, Trailblazer for Women's Education by Reem Faruqi
From the author of Lailah's Lunchbox and Unsettled comes a powerful picture book biography about Maryam Faruqi, the founder of the Happy Home Schools, which provided education to thousands of girls across Pakistan at a time when girls weren't encouraged to go to school. Milloo lives in a time when school is considered unnecessary for girls. But to Milloo, education is essential. When Milloo reads, her thoughts dance. Milloo courageously dreams of becoming a teacher, but in fifth grade her parents tell her she has had enough school. Milloo is heartbroken but finds a way to achieve her educational goals, graduating high school and college with honors. When she's married, Milloo's husband tells her to stay home, but she does not let that stop her. She decides to open a school in her house and later opens more schools around Karachi, Pakistan, fulfilling her dreams.
Fly, Girl, Fly!: Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World by Nancy Roe Pimm
The story of how Shaesta Waiz became the youngest woman in history, and the first woman from Afghanistan, to fly around the world in a single-engine aircraft
Maryam's Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani by Megain Reid
As a little girl, Maryam Mirzakhani was spellbound by stories. She loved reading in Tehran's crowded bookstores, and at home she'd spend hours crafting her own tales on giant rolls of paper. Maryam loved school, especially her classes in reading and writing. But she did not like math. Numbers were nowhere near as interesting as the bold, adventurous characters she found in books. Until Maryam unexpectedly discovered a new genre of storytelling: In geometry, numbers became shapes, each with its own fascinating personality -- making every equation a brilliant story waiting to be told. As an adult, Maryam became a professor, inventing new formulas to solve some of math's most complicated puzzles. And she made history by becoming the first woman -- and the first Iranian -- to win the Fields Medal, mathematics' highest award. Maryam's Magic is the true story of a girl whose creativity and love of stories helped her -- and the world -- to see math in a new and inspiring way.
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom by Teresa Robeson
When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China 100 years ago, girls did not attend school. But her parents named their daughter "Courageous Hero" and encouraged her love of science. This biography follows Wu as she battles sexism at home and racism in the United States of America to become what Newsweek magazine called the "Queen of Physics" for her work on how atoms split.
Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton by Nina Crews
A lyrical picture book biography that tells the story of one of America's most celebrated children's book authors, Virginia Hamilton, the first African American to win the Newbery Medal.
Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de Mexico by Duncan Tonatiuh
This is the story of Amalia Hernandez, dancer and founder of El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. Published in time for the 100th anniversary of Hernandez's birth, Danza! is the first picture book about the famous dancer and choreographer. Danza! is a celebration of Hernandez's life and of the rich history of dance in Mexico. As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher, until she saw a performance of dancers in her town square. She was fascinated by the way the dancers twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too. She began to study many different types of dance, including ballet and modern, under some of the best teachers in the world. Hernandez traveled throughout Mexico studying and learning regional dances. Soon she founded her own dance company, El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, where she integrated her knowledge of ballet and modern dance with folkloric dances. The group began to perform all over the country and soon all over the world, becoming an international sensation that still tours today.
Women Artists A to Z by Melanie LaBarge
An alphabet picture book featuring famous women artists and their most iconic works.
Traveling Shoes: the Story of Willye White, US Olympian and Long Jump Champion by Alice Faye Duncan
Willye White was the first American woman to compete in five Olympic Games. Born in 1939 in Money, Mississippi, money was exactly what she didn't have. Abandoned by both her parents, she worked alongside her grandparents in the cotton fields. Willye dreamed big. When her cousin noticed she was the fastest runner around, Willye jumped at the chance to put on her traveling shoes and run her way to greatness. Swift as rushing wind, first Willye ran for the Tennessee State Tigerbelles and then for the US Olympic team. Whether competing on the track field or witnessing the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement, time and time again, Willye had to remind herself, "I believe in me." Through Alice Faye Duncan's signature combination of poetry and prose and Keith Mallett's lifelike illustrations, readers will learn how the ever-persistent Willye White paved a road for women in American sports and contributed to Black progress with muscle and grit.
Pirate Queen: A Story of Zheng Yi Sao by Helaine Becker
The most powerful pirate in history was a woman who was born into poverty in Guangzhou, China, in the early 1800s. When pirates attacked her town and the captain took a liking to her, she saw a way out. Zheng Yi Sao agreed to marry him only if she got an equal share of his business. When her husband died six years later, she took command of the fleet. Over the next decade, the pirate queen built a fleet of over 1,800 ships and 70,000 men. On land and sea, Zheng Yi Sao's power rivaled the emperor himself. Time and again, her ships triumphed over the emperor's ships. When she was ready to retire, Zheng Yi Sao surrendered -- on her own terms, of course. Even though there was a price on her head, she was able to negotiate her freedom, living in peace and prosperity for the rest of her days.
RBG's Brave & Brilliant Women: 33 Jewish Women to Inspire Everyone by Nadine Epstein
A collection of biographies of Jewish female role models--selected in collaboration with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and including an introduction written by the late Supreme Court justice.
Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom
Indigenous women have always worked tirelessly to protect our water -- keeping it pure and clean for the generations to come. Yet there was a time when their voices and teachings were nearly drowned out, leaving entire communities and environments in danger and without clean water. But then came Grandma Josephine and her great-niece, Autumn. Speak for the water. Sing for the water. Dance for the water. With moving lyricism and arresting illustrations, Carole Lindstrom and Bridget George celebrate Josephine Mandamin and Autumn Peltier, two groundbreaking water warriors who have created a tidal wave of change.
Sylvia Rivera by Kaitlyn Duling
Who was Sylvia Rivera? Children will love learning about one of the most influential leaders and advocates for LGBTQ rights in this engaging biography.
She Can STEM: 50 Trailblazing Women in Science From Anciet History to Today by Liz Lee Heinecke
This book highlights the curiosity, creativity, and perseverance of 50 leading historical and modern physicists, chemists, biologists, and ecologists, pairing each biography with a hands-on project.
Fighting For Yes!: the Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann
From a very young age, Judy Heumann heard the word NO. When she wanted to attend public school, the principal said NO. When she wanted her teaching license, the New York Board of Education said NO. Judy and people with disabilities everywhere were tired of hearing NO. In the 1970s an important disability rights law, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, was waiting to be signed. Judy and other disability rights activists fought for YES! They held a sit-in until Section 504 was signed into law. Section 504 -- established thanks in large part to the ongoing work of Judy and her community -- laid the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Not Playing by the Rules: 21 Female Athletes Who Changed Sports by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Profiles noteworthy women athletes from field hockey pioneer Constance Applebee to Little League pitcher Mo'ne Davis, including Althea Gibson, Mia Hamm, and Syrian refugee swimmer Yusra Mardini.
The Fastest Girl on Earth!: Meet Kitty O'Neil, Daredevil Driver! by Dean Robbins
A picture book biography follows the life of Kitty O'Neil, the stuntwoman and racecar driver who broke the women's land speed record, becoming a hero to fans everywhere.
Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Changed the Science of Prehistoric Life by Cheryl Blackford
Decades before Darwin famously publishes his theories of evolution, Mary Anning digs, hammers, and hauls... exposing fossils that have been hidden in the rocks for millions of years. She studies fossil anatomy and expertly prepares her specimens for sale. Mary achieves two milestones that most women of her time haven't heard of -- independence and a career. Her findnigs stir debate among male scholars: Did mysterious, frightening animals once swim in a sea that covered much of England? If they did, what happened to them? How ancient is our earth? With stunning paleoart, this fascinating and beautifully crafted biography tells the story of one of the greatest fossilists the world has ever known: the celebrated paleontologist Mary Anning.
