The best books for kids, teens, and adults about women who dared to fly!

From the earliest days of aviation, women have played a role — but few people know the stories of the daring women who opened the throttles, pulled back on the stick, and soared into history! Even when a name like Amelia Earhart or Bessie Coleman comes to mind, many kids don't know exactly how they made history, and few of them have heard of other groundbreaking women like Sophie Blanchard or Jerrie Mock. So it's time to celebrate these women who founds ways to take flight, even when the world told them they were reaching too high. Continue reading → Continue reading

After surviving thirty years of domestic violence, Grandma Gatewood became a record-setting hiking pioneer who helped to save the Appalachian Trail from ruin.

In 1955, at the age of 67, Emma Rowena Gatewood became the first woman to solo hike the entire 2,190 mile (3,524 km) Appalachian Trail — wearing Keds sneakers and carrying an army blanket, a raincoat, a shower curtain, and a change of clothes in a homemade bag which she slung over one shoulder. For food, she foraged for wild plants, as well as carried dried meat, cheese, nuts, and dried fruit. The mother of 11 and grandmother of 23, Gatewood is now considered a pioneer of ultra-light hiking and one of the first high-profile ambassadors of the Appalachian Trail (AT). Her resilience and determination have inspired generations of hikers, whether they're walking a local state trail or tackling the full AT. "I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was," Gatewood observed after her hike, "but I couldn’t and I wouldn’t quit."  Continue reading → Continue reading

On an April night in 1933, Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt slipped away from a formal White House dinner for a spontaneous flight together — all while dressed in evening gowns!

Eleanor Roosevelt was one of America's most beloved First Ladies; Amelia Earhart was called the "First Lady of the Air." These two groundbreaking and unconventional women met and became close friends in 1932, the same year that Earhart made history with her record-breaking nonstop trans-Atlantic flight. Their individualism and sense of cheeky fun famously culminated in an escapade during a White House dinner on April 20, 1933; the pair led the party, all dressed in formal dinner attire to a nearby airfield, and Earhart and Roosevelt shared the cockpit for a spontaneous flight to Baltimore and back. The story is a testament to their spirit of adventure, and to the bond of friendship between two of the 20th century's most extraordinary women. Continue reading → Continue reading

Pearl Johnson scaled the 3,000 foot El Capitan over four days and three nights, becoming the youngest person ever to achieve this climbing feat!

After four days and three nights of climbing, 9-year-old Pearl Johnson became the youngest person to scale Yosemite Valley's famed El Capitan! Pearl reached the 3,000-foot summit in mid-September after scaling the Triple Direct climbing route with her mother, Janet Johnson, and a family friend, Nick Sullens. While scaling El Capitan is a major feat for many seasoned adult climbers, her mother was confident that Pearl, who has been climbing since she could walk, could reach the summit. "Someone asked me if I was nervous, and I said 'No,'" she said after their successful climb. "I knew I was comfortable up there. I’ve climbed a lot with Pearl. I knew what she was capable of." Continue reading → Continue reading

Eight pioneering female pilots who went Higher, Further, Faster!

Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel was a blockbuster hit after its release in March — becoming the first female-led superhero film to pass $1 billion at the box office and inspiring legions of Mighty Girls with dreams of flight! The film tells the story of Carol Danvers, a U.S. Air Force test pilot who develops superhero abilities. Like many real-life female pioneers of flight, however, Danvers has to overcome doubt about her capabilities — from within and without — to discover her true strength. Continue reading → Continue reading