Telling Her Story: 60 New Mighty Girl Books for Women's History Month

Amelia: My First Amelia Earhart (Little People, Big Dreams)

Young Amelia Earhart dreamed of flying like a bird, so as an adult, she decided to learn how to fly a plane! Female pilots were few and far between, but Amelia wanted to prove that women could fly just as well as men. First, she set a female world record by flying at 14,000 feet; then, she flew across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; and finally, she decided to try flying all around the whole world. This board book from the Little People, BIG DREAMS series, which also includes a board book about Maya Angelou, will inspire and empower the littlest readers.

Dream Big, Little One

In Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, Vashti Harrison introduced school-aged kids to inspiring role models they probably won't meet in their history books. Now, in this detailed board book, she adapts 18 of her profiles for preschool readers! With simple text and her trademark illustrations that throw back to classic mid-century children's literature, she shows kids a variety of heroes and role models in every field — and inspires them to dream of how they themselves might change the world. Harrison is also the author of another board book, Think Big, Little One, which shares the story of women creators from around the world.

Anybody's Game: Kathryn Johnson, the First Girl to Play Little League Baseball

Baseball-loving Kathryn Johnston desperately wanted to play in the Little League, but in 1950, most coaches wouldn't let girls try out. So she demanded that her mother cut off her braids so that she could try out as a boy. "Tubby" easily made the team, and Johnston played well enough that her coach kept her on even once she revealed the truth. Sadly, the following year, the Little League explicitly banned girls from playing, a policy that wasn't lifted until 1974, but Johnston had already made her mark on sports history. This portrait of a determined sport pioneer ends with a lovely detail: Johnston throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium in 2006.

Just Being Jackie

Jackie Kennedy is an American icon, but in addition to being stylish and elegant, she was determined and tireless. She was a talented journalist, an avid preservationist, and a diligent editor. As the First Lady, her cleverness and grace won the respect of people across the country and around the world when they realized that she was much more than a pretty face! In this vibrant picture book by the author and illustrator pair behind Just Being Audrey, kids will get a deeper picture of the life and gifts of this famous woman.

I Am Billie Jean King

From an early age, Billie Jean King loved sports. She discovered a love for tennis and became determined to be the best tennis player in the world. But as she got older, she also realized that people didn't take women athletes seriously — no matter how well they could play. So when retired player Bobby Riggs claimed that he could beat any woman tennis player — even one on the top of her game — King decided to show the world that everyone deserved a chance to play! The seventeenth picture book in the New York Times bestselling series Ordinary People Change The World celebrates the world champion tennis player who fought successfully for women's rights.

Jane Goodall (Little People, Big Dreams)

When Jane Goodall was a girl, her father gave her a toy chimpanzee, and Jubilee became her constant companion. Little did she know that her favorite stuffed animal would ignite a lifelong love of animals and a world-changing career! Jane would become famous for her pioneering research methods, her groundbreaking discoveries, and her work on conservation and animal rights. This uplifting new entry to the Little People, BIG DREAMS series will delight young animal lovers and encourage them to imagine their own inspiring futures. Other exciting volumes in this empowering series include books on L.M. Montgomery and Agatha Christie.

Women in Science Boxed Gift Set (Little People, Big Dreams)

The internationally bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series pays tribute to groundbreaking women of science in this hardcover gift set! In this collection, kids will meet Ada Lovelace, Amelia Earhart and Marie Curie, three very different women whose contributions to science still resonate today. In each title, stylish illustrations and engaging text encourage kids to learn more about these women — and to dream big about their own futures. For more boxed sets from this series, check out these ones focused on Women in Art, Music Stars, and Inspiring Writers.

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

Katherine Johnson loved to count, and despite the prejudices against both women and African Americans, she was determined to find a way to make her love of math into a career. As one of NASA's "human computers," Johnson hand calculated elaborate equations... including the trajectories that helped launch the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. When disaster befell the Apollo 13 mission, it was Johnson's flight-path calculations that brought the astronauts safely home. This inspiring biography of the mathematician catapulted to fame by Hidden Figures celebrates a love of math and encourages kids to follow their passions. For another picture book about Johnson and her colleagues, check out Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race.

Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life

Ruth Asawa wanted to make the world a better place, and knew that art could build strength during times of great injustice — like when she and her family were sent to the Japanese-American internment camps. As an adult, she created unconventional sculptures from unexpected material, including many fountains — so many that she became known as the "Fountain Lady." She particularly loved exposing children to art, because, she said, "Art will make people better." In this exquisite and thoroughly researched picture book biography, young readers will learn about Asawa's inspiring life — and perhaps be inspired to create their own world-changing art.

The Girl With A Mind For Math: The Story of Raye Montague

As a 7-year-old during WWII, Raye Montague toured a captured German submarine and immediately set her sights on becoming an engineer. Little did she know that sexism and racism would challenge her dream every step of the way. Raye ended up working at the US Navy as a typist, studying engineering at night. One day, when all the engineers were sick with the flu, she astonished everyone by completing all of their work. She went on to become the first person to design a ship on a computer and the Navy's first female ship designer. This inspiring picture book from the Amazing Scientists series celebrates a pioneer who changed ship design forever.

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré

When Pura Belpré came to America in 1921, she brought with her the cuentos folklóricos of Puerto Rico. When she took a job at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she transformed library services by sharing diverse stories, championing bilingual literature, and publishing her tales so that she could "be like Johnny Appleseed [and] plant my story seeds across the land." This lush and colorful book celebrates Belpré's life and legacy, and encourages young storytellers to keep sharing their tales with the world. For a Spanish-language edition of this book, check out Sembrando historias: Pura Belpré: bibliotecaria y narradora de cuentos.

Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted

Elizabeth Warren has always been a fighter, whether she was helping her struggling family make ends meet, becoming one of the few girls on the debate team, using her law degree to fight for hard-working families, or becoming the first female senator for Massachusetts. When she refused to be silent about her concerns about a nominee for attorney general, the criticism leveled against her became a feminist rallying cry: "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted!" The first-ever picture book biography about this trailblazing senator is a celebration of persistence, passion, and the power of raising your voice for yourself and others.

Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott

When the Montgomery Bus Boycotts broke out to protest segregated seating, cook Georgia Gilmore wanted to help. She knew that the boycotters would need cars and gas, and for that, they needed money — so she recruited a bunch of her fellow cooks and bakers to make food to sell. Supporting the boycott was risky, so Gilmore only took cash, and whenever someone asked where the food or money came from, the answer was always the same: "nowhere." This celebration of a little-known figure of the Civil Rights movement celebrates the power of community and how one person can fuel a movement.

Hedy Lamarr's Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor

As a child growing up in Austria, Hedy Lamarr wanted to know how everything worked — she even took apart her toys! But she also loved acting out her favorite scenes from movies. As an adult, the world knew Hedy Lamarr as a glamorous movie star, but she had a secret: she was also an inventor. And in the middle of World War II, she created an invention for the U.S. Navy that would become the foundation for some of today's most important technologies, including WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS! Author / illustrator pair Laurie Wallmark and Katie Wu, creators of Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code, team up once again for this compelling introduction to a little-known scientific talent.

How to Build A Hug

Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine

Young Temple Grandin loved building and hated hugs. She wanted to be hugged, but every time she tried, it felt too overwhelming to bear. But when she saw a calf being calmed by a special machine that gently squeezed its sides, she had an idea: she would build a hug machine, one that would let her get exactly the hug she needed... and maybe help her get the hugs she wanted, too. This empowering look at a pivotal moment in the life of the groundbreaking autism advocate aptly illustrates the experience of sensory overload, helping kids of all stripes appreciate the cleverness of Grandin's invention and the power of a hug.

What Do You Do With A Voice Like That?

The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan

Even as a child, Barbara Jordan's voice made people stand up, take notice, and listen! But what do you do with a voice like that? In Jordan's case, she used it to carry her to places that African American women didn't usually go in the 1960s: to law school, to the Texas state senate, and to the United States Congress. She also used it to give voice to the marginalized people around her, fighting for civil rights and equality. This powerful picture book biography celebrates the power of raising your voice and owning your confidence.

Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail

Emma Gatewood had a tough life, so one day, at age 67, she decided to go for a nice long walk... and she became the first woman to through-hike the Appalachian Trail solo! She wore a pair of Keds sneakers and carried almost nothing with her, relying on her foraging skills and on the help of residents near the trail. When she finished her journey, she not only became famous across the country, she also ensured that this breathtaking trail would be preserved and protected. This inspiring story of grit and girl power will get kids imagining their own adventures! For another picture book about Gatewood, check out When Grandma Gatewood Took A Hike.

Turning Pages: My Life Story

As a child, Sonia Sotomayor devoured books. For her, they were everything: a connection with her family in Puerto Rico, a guide when she was diagnosed with diabetes, and a consolation and escape from grief when her father died. Most importantly, they were the source of a dream: a future in which she could do anything. In her own words, Sotomayor tells young readers her life story, while also conveying a powerful message about the value of literacy and the never-ending possibility when you turn pages in books and in life.

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth's Long Walk Toward Freedom

As a girl, Isabella was born into slavery but but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds. She was never taught to read or write, and she was separated from her mother, brothers, and sisters — and then, when she was older, from her children. But she knew she, like every person, deserved to be free. And her vision of her future led her to take a new name: Sojourner Truth. This luminous picture book biography captures Truth's strength and perseverance as it tells the story of this giant in the struggle for civil rights.

Michelle Obama: First Lady, Going Higher

A girl who grew up on the South Side of Chicago became a lawyer, a girl's rights advocate, and the first African American First Lady of the United States! In this Level 3 Step Into Reading book, kids will learn how Michelle Obama's parents' lessons about hard work and refusing to give up propelled her to Princeton, to Harvard Law School, and finally into the White House. Her parents also taught her the importance of serving a community and giving back to others in need — something else she embodied throughout her career. This book, perfect for newly independent readers, will fascinate kids with the realization that their hero was once a girl just like them.

Wilma's Way Home: The Life of Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller grew up "dirt poor" in Oklahoma, but her Cherokee community practiced Gadugi, helping each other, so there was always support nearby. But when the federal government moved her family to California in 1956, they lost their sense of community. Mankiller eventually found the Indian Center in San Francisco, where she realized how important her tribe was — and that she wanted to fight for what they needed. Mankiller became an activist and a leader, overcoming resistance to female leadership and a life-threatening accident to become the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation. Inspiring and eye-opening, this book from the Big Words series will introduce kids to a groundbreaking Native American woman who transformed her people.

Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented

In the early 1900s, Lizzie Magie wanted to highlight the financial inequality she saw around her by having players take the roles of landlords and tenants in a game. But when people played "The Landlord's Game," all they wanted to do was pretend to be wealthy landowners! Years later a salesman named Charles Darrow changed her game's rules, called it Monopoly, and sold it to Parker Brothers — who only discovered later that the game was already patented by Magie. In the end, they paid a mere $500 to Magie for her patent, and never credited her as the creator. The true story of Monopoly's history was unknown for decades, but now kids can learn about it in this picture book history and contemplate the question "So who wins in this story?" for themselves.

Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote

In time for the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduces young readers to the bold and brave women of the American Suffrage Movement in this inspiring picture book! It took seventy years of passion, perseverance, and protest before women won the right to vote, and the ten women featured here poured their hearts and souls into the fight. With a mix of both well-known names like Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, and Sojourner Truth and lesser known women such as Jovita Idár and Mary Church Terrell, Gillibrand tells the stories of these courageous women of the past with vigor — and encourages young readers to raise their own voices to build our future.

Galaxy Girls: 50 Amazing Stories of Women in Space

This gorgeously illustrated collected biography honors inspirational women who helped fuel some of the greatest achievements in space exploration from the nineteenth century to today! Galaxy Girls pays tribute to fifty pioneering women past and present, from mathematicians to engineers to test pilots to astronauts. Each capsule biography is paired with striking full-page original artwork from the students of the London College of Communication. Perfect for inspiring the space leaders of tomorrow, this stunning book gives this band of heroic sisters and their remarkable and often little known scientific achievements long overdue recognition.

Who Is Judy Blume?

Young Judy Blume loved finding the perfect books to read — and when she couldn't find one, she'd make the story up herself in her head! As an adult, she was a stay-at-home mother who became one of America's most beloved authors. However, her honest and frank looks at sensitive issues also resulted in her being one of the America's most challenged writers. In this volume from the popular Who Was...? biography series, young readers will learn about Blume's life and work, as well as the censorship she faced (and fought back against) as she wrote the modern classics that kids still love today.

Who Was Selena?

Even as a girl, Selena Quintanilla was a singer. In her family's band Selena y Los Dinos, she performed at fairs, weddings, quinceañeras, and more throughout their native Texas. Because she learned to sing in Spanish, she was hugely popular in the Latino community, and became the best-selling Latin artist of the 1990s — and introduced Tejano music to many Americans. While her life was cut short after she was killed by a stalker, her influence on music and fashion still resonate today. In this volume of the popular Who Was...? biography series, readers will be eager to learn more about this groundbreaking entertainer.

Who Is Aretha Franklin?

As a child, Aretha Franklin sang for her church; when she was a little older, she had some success as a gospel singer. But she wanted more — she wanted everyone to know her name. With her powerful voice, she won a record deal at the age of 18 — and went on to perform hit after hit, becoming one of the bestselling artists of all time! This book from the popular Who Was...? biography series shows why Aretha Franklin garners so much R-E-S-P-E-C-T and includes details of her many accolades, including her 18 Grammys and becoming the first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Anthology of Amazing Women

Trailblazers Who Dared to Be Different

Meet 50 women who pushed the boundaries of human excellence in this inspiring book! From famous girls and women like Serena Williams, Elizabeth I, and Malala Yousafzai, to little known figures like Chien-Shiung Wu, Aud the Deep-Minded, and Ana Nzinga, these stories will fascinate kids (and adults) and encourage them to learn more about the women featured here — and the many other women of history! An epilogue urges girls who read the book to “take advantage of opportunities they are given and create opportunities that don’t yet exist” — just the right enticement to encourage a new generation of extraordinary girls.

Jane Austen For Kids

Her Life, Writings, and World, with 21 Activities

Jane Austen wrote novels over two hundred years ago, but her characters and themes are familiar even today! It's no wonder that she remains one of the most beloved authors of English literature. In this book from the engaging For Kids non-fiction series, kids will learn about her life, her bold decision to write and publish her work, and the time in which she lived. Clever hands-on activities, from playing with puns to learning an English country dance to navigating with a sextant, will absorb young readers in Austen's world, providing a unique look at a woman from a time when most women lived behind-the-scenes lives.

This Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality

When Jo Ann Allen joined the Clinton 12 — twelve African-American students who integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee — things seemed easy at first... but as time went on, there was unrest, anger, and even violence. Clever and popular Jo Ann became the spokesperson for the group, always aware that she and her peers were fighting for a critical change to the nation's education system. In this novel in verse, she tells her story, reminding readers that court-ordered integration was a double-edged sword ("We’re in, yes./ But it’s more complicated than that") but conveys a message of hope in a future of true racial equality.

Proud: Living My American Dream (Young Readers)

When Ibtihaj Muhammad was in school, she was the only African American Muslim student — and when she discovered a love of fencing, she stood out even more in a sport most popular with wealthy White people. Ibtihaj was fast and hardworking, but as she rose through the ranks, she faced constant scrutiny from those who insisted she was too different to succeed. Instead of listening to them, she persevered and became the first Muslim-American woman to medal at an Olympic Games. This young readers edition of Muhammad's memoir Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream will inspire kids with her determination, faith, and courage.

Brown v. Board of Education

A Fight for Simple Justice

1954's Brown vs. Board of Education was a critical ruling in the desegregation of US schools — but getting there was a long road. The name on the case came from the family of Linda Brown, a black third-grader refused entry to an all-white Topeka, Kansas, school, but there were many additional families involved, including children in South Carolina, Delaware, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin explores the complex history behind this key court decision, as well as the modern, not fully desegregated, school system. This compelling account will open young readers' eyes to the work — and sacrifice — behind the case that's often forgotten.

Rad Girls Can: Stories of Bold, Brave, and Brilliant Young Women

These girls made an impact on the world — and they did it before they turned 20! Rad Girls Can, the latest volume from the best-selling authors of Rad Women Worldwide and Rad American Women A-Z, introduces kids to girls past and present who made their mark. From famous names like Malala Yousafzai, Anne Frank, and Joan of Arc, to lesser-known figures like Syrian refugee and Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini, anti-cyberbullying activist and app designer Trisha Prabhu, and more. As in the other books, each profile is compared with bold cut-paper artwork, and the book wraps up with a reminder that there's one more Rad Girl who can make a difference: you!

Rebel Voices: The Global Fight for Women's Equality and the Right to Vote

Women have been fighting for equality for centuries — and the fight goes on today. In this stunningly illustrated tribute to the rule breaking rebel women who fought for the right to vote, young readers will learn about the history of the women's movement around the world. From the moment New Zealand became the first nation that officially and explicitly granted women's suffrage, to the worldwide Women's Marches of January 2017, these women raised their voices and insisted on being heard.

Limitless: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts

When women refuse to give up on their dreams, they become limitless! In this gorgeous volume, acclaimed artist Leah Tinari pays tribute to twenty-four extraordinary American women who changed our country's history and inspired her own artistic journey. From artists to athletes, teachers to politicians, activists to inventors, these women demonstrated courage, perseverance, and passion. Her powerful portraits, which include a few important facts about each women and span the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, are sure to spark an interest in learning more about these limitless women.

Courageous Women of the Vietnam War

Medics, Journalists, Survivors, and More

Over the course of the two decades of fighting in Vietnam, women played their own roles: as medics, journalists, resisters, and more. In this book from the Women of Action series, author Kathryn J. Atwood dives into the complex political history of the Vietnam War, and explores the lives of fourteen women whose lives were changed by this conflict. With suspenseful profiles and in-depth historical information, it's a detailed and engaging look at the often unexpected roles that women played, both during the Vietnam War and in the years afterward.

This Noble Woman

Myrtilla Miner and Her Fight to Establish a School for African American Girls in the Slaveholding South

In the mid-1800s, Myrtilla Miner had what seemed like a ridiculous plan: she would open a school for African American girls, right in the heart of the slaveholding South. Even fellow abolitionists thought it was impossible, but on December 3, 1851, Miner opened the School for Colored Girls — the only school in Washington, DC. dedicated to training African American students to be teachers. Miner battled her own poor health to defend her school, facing stonings, arson, and a crowd of "rowdies" she discouraged with open displays of target practice with her revolver. This book from the Women of Action biography series highlights a little known abolitionist and educator who refused to give up on the right to education.

Lillian Wald: America’s Great Social and Healthcare Reformer

Lillian Wald always knew she wanted to do more than marry a suitable man. As an adult, a visit to a tenement apartment on the Lower East Side opened her eyes to the needs of impoverished immigrants, and she took the daring step of moving into the community to care for them from within. Wald would found the Visiting Nurse Service and the Henry Street Settlement, and create the first city playground — and then she drew on her wealthy connections to accomplish even more. Young readers of this meticulously researched book about the little-known social reformer will be astounded at how many policies that we take for granted were the results of Ward's advocacy.

A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II

In the midst of World War II, Josef Stalin made the Soviet Union the first country in the world that allowed female pilots to fly in combat. Three regiments of women, led by Marina Raskova, took to the skies, including the 588^th Night Bomber Regiment, which would be nicknamed the "night witches." But facing the horrors of war and discrimination and pressure on the ground wasn't easy for these pilots, many of whom were still in their teens. Elizabeth Wein, the author of the best-selling historical fiction novel Code Name Verity, sets her sights on non-fiction in this compelling story about these daring pilots and the sisterhood they formed as they changed the world.

I Have The Right To

A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope

As a freshman at a prestigious New Hampshire boarding school, Chessy Prout was sexually assaulted as part of a ritualized game of conquest — and when she reported the assault and took her attacker to court, her school community turned on her. She was guaranteed anonymity if she chose, but instead she revealed her identity, challenging those who blame faceless victims to confront their prejudice, and demanding that institutions stop turning a blind eye to rape culture under their roof. This empowering story of survival turned into advocacy is a painful but critical read.