Katherine Johnson calculated -- by hand -- the flight trajectories for a number of historic missions, including the Apollo 11 flight to the Moon in 1969.

When President Barack Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Katherine Johnson in 2015, few people had even heard her name — but thanks to the smash success of the book Hidden Figures and its movie adaptation, this groundbreaking mathematician has become an inspiration for girls everywhere! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of books about the love between girls and their grandparents.

Many Mighty Girls know how special a relationship with grandparents can be: from special treats to family traditions, grandparents can offer a unique family connection to girls of all ages. And while these relationships can't always be physically close — and sometimes face obstacles, from different languages to a different perspective on the world — grandparents play an important role in the lives of many Mighty Girls. Continue reading → Continue reading

We received a record number of photo submissions for our 2014 Halloween Gallery and we're awed by the creativity and variety of these Mighty Girls' amazing costumes. As we've always said, Mighty Girls know that their costume possibilities are limited only by their imaginations and with costumes ranging from ones based on favorite superheroes to ones inspired by historic role models, these Mighty Girls clearly know no bounds!

In this post, we've showcased a small sample of these incredible costumes -- to browse the over 1,300 photos submitted, visit the 2014 A Mighty Girl Halloween Gallery. And, to help you and your Mighty Girl learn more about the wonderful characters and historic figures depicted, we've also linked to our character collection and biography section where relevant.

And, if you're seeking girl-empowering dress-up clothing or costumes anytime of year, visit our extensive costume collection with options for all ages from infants through adults in A Mighty Girl's Halloween Costume Guide. You can also find Mighty Girl stories for many of the upcoming holidays, including Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas, in our Holidays & Celebrations collection. Continue reading → Continue reading

NASA's Washington, D.C. Headquarters is being renamed in honor of Mary Jackson, the space agency's first African American female engineer.

Mary Jackson was NASA's first African American female engineer — now, the space agency is honoring her contributions by renaming its Washington, D.C. headquarters in her honor! In addition to her scientific accomplishments, Jackson also led programs which supported the hiring and promotion of more women at NASA and served as a Girl Scout leader for more than 30 years. "Mary never accepted the status quo, she helped break barriers and open opportunities for African Americans and women in the field of engineering and technology," says NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "We will continue to recognize the contributions of women, African Americans, and people of all backgrounds who have made NASA’s successful history of exploration possible." Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of mysteries for children and teens starring Mighty Girl detectives!

From uncovering a mystery to the hunt for clues, from mistaken conclusions to the big reveal, many Mighty Girls love detective stories! And, while many of the most favorite fictional detectives, from Sherlock Holmes to Hercule Poirot, are male, there are many excellent mysteries starring female detectives who lead investigations, study the evidence, and solve the mystery — all perfect for inspiring the would-be detectives of tomorrow! Continue reading → Continue reading

From science to superheroes to women's history, our favorite Mighty Girl socks for teens and adults!

There are few things as much fun as a pair of unique, colorful socks! Mighty Girls — and the women they grow into — have a huge range of interests and talents, but those interests are often not reflected in the clothing options available to them. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of new biographies about Mighty Women for adult readers.

On A Mighty Girl, we feature thousands of books for children and teens about smart, confident, and courageous girls and women, but we are also often asked for reading recommendations for adults about inspiring women of the past and present. To that end, in this blog post, we're sharing our favorite biographies for older teen and adult readers about Mighty Women that were recently released in either hardcover or paperback.

The biographies featured showcase a diverse array of women from around the world in fields including science, entertainment, politics, athletics, and more. Some of the featured women are famous figures from the past, while others are women who are active today, boldly continuing to change the world. All of them have a fascinating story to tell and each one shows the power of an individual to make a difference in her unique way!

Continue reading → Continue reading

"I find that I am bored with anything I understand," says Abel Prize winner Dr. Karen Uhlenbeck.

American mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck has become the first woman to win the Abel Prize — the "Nobel Prize" of mathematics! The 76-year-old professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin and visiting scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton has made wide-ranging advances in mathematics that influence many sciences, including quantum physics and string theory, and pioneered a new field of mathematics called geometric analysis. "She did things nobody thought about doing, and after she did, she laid the foundations of a branch of mathematics," says Sun-Yung Alice Chang, a Princeton mathematician who sat on the prize committee. Hans Munthe-Kaas, chair of the Abel Committee, added that "her perspective has pervaded the field and led to some of the most dramatic advances in mathematics over the last 40 years." Continue reading → Continue reading

New biographies about Mighty Women for inspiration during Women's History Month and throughout the year!

On A Mighty Girl, we feature thousands of books for children and teens about smart, confident, and courageous girls and women, but we are also often asked for reading recommendations for adults about inspiring women of the past and present. To that end, in this blog post, we're sharing 55 of our favorite biographies for older teen and adult readers about Mighty Women that were published in 2016 and 2017.

Among these titles are insightful introductions to oft-neglected female scientists, gripping tales about heroism during wartime, and thoughtful reflections on the quest for women's rights. Since A Mighty Girl's website does not have a book section for adult readers, you won't find these recommendations on our site; however, we've included links below to Amazon so you can learn more or order individual titles.

So whether you're looking for a good book to delve into during Women's History Month or any time of year, these women's stories are sure to inspire!
Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of biographies and historical fiction for adult readers in honor of Women's History Month.

We recently shared biographies for young readers from preschoolers to teens in our blog post Telling Her Story: 40 New Books for Women's History Month. But just as kids can be inspired by stories of trailblazing women of the past and present, so can adult readers! In fact, when we share stories about fascinating and often little-known women with our Facebook community, we regularly receive comments from adult supporters about how they would love to learn more about these inspiring Mighty Women.

With that in mind, we've put together a selection of great biographies and historical fiction, all aimed at older teen and adult readers in honor of Women's History Month! These books feature women from both past and present: scientists, activists, entertainers, and more. Some of their names and situations will be familiar, and others will be new, but all of them will leave you amazed by their daring and determination.

Since A Mighty Girl's website does not have a book section for adult readers, you won't find these recommendations on our website; however, we've included links below to Amazon and other vendors so you can order individual titles or learn more. So whether you're looking for a good book to delve into during Women's History Month or any time of year, these women's stories are sure to inspire!

Continue reading → Continue reading