Women's History Month: Books for Kids and Families

Updated February 27, 2026
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Ablaze With Color : A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Harvey, Jeanne Walker/ Wise, Loveis (ILT)
Paper Book
Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas. Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most...
I am Amelia Earhart
Meltzer, Brad
Paper Book
Groundbreaking American pilot Amelia Earhart is the 2nd hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series for ages 5 to 8. Amelia Earhart refused to accept no for an answer; she dared to do what no one had ever done before, and became the first woman to...
Astronauts : women on the final frontier
Ottaviani, Jim
Paper Book
In the graphic novel Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier, Jim Ottaviani and illustrator Maris Wicks capture the great humor and incredible drive of Mary Cleave, Valentina Tereshkova, and the first women in space. The U.S. may have put the first man on the moon, but...
Born reading : 20 stories of women reading their way into history
Krull, Kathleen
Paper Book
Once books kick-start their brains, girls change history. Discover the foundation of reading that empowered some of the world's most influential women in this informative and inspirational illustrated middle grade collection of twenty biographies. What do Cleopatra, Audre Lorde,...
Brave girl : Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909
Markel, Michelle.
Paper Book
When Clara Lemlich arrived in America, she couldn't speak English. She didn't know that young women had to go to work, that they traded an education for long hours of labor, that she was expected to grow up fast. But that did not stop Clara. She went to night school,...
Buffalo Bird Girl a Hidatsa story
Nelson, S. D.
Paper Book
This fascinating picture book biography tells the childhood story of Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa Indian born around 1839. Through her true story, readers will learn what it was like to be part of this Native American community that lived along the Missouri River in the Dakotas, a society that...
Child of the flower-song people : Luz Jim?ez, daughter of the Nahua
Amescua, Gloria
Paper Book
She was Luz Jiménez, child of the flower-song people, the powerful Aztec, who called themselves Nahua- who lost their land but who did not disappear. As a young Nahua girl in Mexico during the early 1900s, Luz learned how to...
Classified : the secret career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee aerospace engineer
Sorell, Traci
Paper Book
An American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Honor Picture Book Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her...
Coretta : the autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King
King, Coretta Scott
Paper Book
Celebrate the life of the extraordinary civil and human rights activist Coretta Scott King with this picture book adaptation of her critically acclaimed adult memoir. This is the autobiography of Coretta Scott King--wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.; founder of the Martin Luther...
Danza! Amalia Hernández and el Ballet Folklórico de Mexico
Tonatiuh, Duncan
Paper Book
Award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh tells the story of Amalia Hern\u00e1ndez, dancer and founder of El Ballet Folkl\u00f3rico de M\u00e9xico. Published in time for the 100th anniversary of Hern\u00e1ndez's birth, Danza! is the first picture book about the famous...
The doctor with an eye for eyes the story of Dr. Patricia Bath
Mosca, Julia Finley
Paper Book
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Selection. NSTA Best STEM Books for K-12 Selection. A Mighty Girl Book of the Year. If you like to think big, but some say you're too small, or they say you're too young or too slow or too tall... Meet Dr. Bath - the scientist who never lost sight of her...
Drum dream girl : how one girl's courage changed music
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule--until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at...
Ellen takes flight : the life of astronaut Ellen Ochoa
Rappaport, Doreen
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection, Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year, and National Science Teaching Association Best STEM Book ● Celebrate the groundbreaking life of astronaut and Johnson Space Center director Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in...
The Enigma girls : how ten teenagers broke ciphers, kept secrets, and helped win World War II
Fleming, Candace
Paper Book
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. With numerous starred reviews and accolades, from award-winning author Candace Fleming, comes the powerful and fascinating story of the brave and dedicated young women who helped turn the tides of World War II for the Allies, with their hard work and...
Gaga mistake day
Straub, Emma
Paper Book
When Grandma comes for a visit, silliness and creativity are guaranteed, in this funny and endearing book by bestselling novelist Emma Straub; her kids' gaga, Susan Straub; and award-winning illustrator Jessica Love. Gaga days are the best! That's when this eccentric, mischievous...
Go forth and tell : the life of Augusta Baker, librarian and master storyteller
McDaniel, Breanna J.
Paper Book
Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Kirkus Best Books of the Year Chicago Public Library Best Books of the Year New York Public Library Best Books of the Year ALSC Notable Children's Books Horn Book Fanfare BolognaRazzi Award...
Grace for president
DiPucchio, Kelly S.
Paper Book
A fresh, fun, and "thought-provoking" New York Times bestseller about the American electoral college and why every vote counts from bestselling and award-winning duo Kelly DiPucchio and LeUyen Pham. "Where are the girls?" When Grace's teacher reveals that the...
HerStory : 50 women and girls who shook up the world
Halligan, Katherine (Children's book editor)
Paper Book
Move aside history--it's time for herstory. Celebrate fifty inspiring and powerful women who changed the world and left their mark in this lavishly illustrated biography compilation that's perfect for fans of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and She...
Hidden figures : the true story of four black women and the space race
Shetterly, Margot Lee
Paper Book
Katherine, Dorothy, Mary, and Christine were all good at math. Really good. And it was their understanding of numbers that helped them do what seemed impossible. They were African-American women, living during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do....
How women won the vote : Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and their big idea
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell
Paper Book
This is how history should be told to kids--with photos, illustrations, and captivating storytelling. From Newbery Honor medalist Susan Campbell Bartoletti and in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in America comes the page-turning, stunningly illustrated, and...
Ketanji: Justice Jackson's Journey to the U.S. Supreme Court
Magoon, Kekla
Paper Book
From two Coretta Scott King Honor winners comes this uplifting picture book biography about Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is making history as the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. Ketanji Brown Jackson is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. When a high school guidance...
Ladies of liberty : the women who shaped our nation
Roberts, Cokie
Paper Book
In Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies, Cokie Roberts introduced readers to the women behind the scenes of the American Revolution. Now, in Ladies of Liberty, Cokie continues to shed light on the remarkable women of our country's history, those who laid the groundwork for...
Mae among the stars
Ahmed, Roda
Paper Book
A beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the...
Magick Hoodoo Child
McBride, Amber
Paper Book
* FOUR STARRED REVIEWS * From Amber McBride, National Book Award finalist and Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning author, comes her debut picture book, a heartwarming story about one girl's magick-filled summer with her grandmother. She learns about hoodoo and rootwork...
Malala's magic pencil
Yousafzai, Malala
Paper Book
Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai's first picture book, inspired by her own childhood. "This is a wonderful read for younger students that will also provide insight and encourage discussion about the wider...
Mary wears what she wants
Negley, Keith
Paper Book
From the award-winning creator of My Dad Used to Be So Cool and Tough Guys Have Feelings Too comes a charming picture book inspired by the true story of Mary Edwards Walker, a trailblazing 19th-century doctor who was arrested many times for wearing pants. Once upon a time...
Maryam's magic : the story of mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani
Reid, Megan
Paper Book
From Althea Gibson author Megan Reid and rising star artist Aaliya Jaleel, illustrator of Under My Hijab, comes the first picture book about trailblazing mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win the world's most prestigious honor in mathematics. Perfect for fans of...
The Midwatch Institute for wayward girls
Rossell, Judith
Paper Book
A whimsical, adventure-filled mystery about a young orphan at the edge of society who finds herself at the center of a city's secrets. For fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events. "I was hooked from the beginning ... Move over Lemony Snicket!...
Mina vs. the monsoon
Guidroz, Rukhsanna
Paper Book
A Kirkus Reviews' Best Picture Book of 2018Mina loves to play soccer all year round. Nothing comes close to it. But when the monsoon arrives, Mina is stuck indoors and she can't help feeling restless and bored. Her ammi doesn't understand. The doodhwalla doesn't understand. That's when Mina decides...
Miss Dorothy and her bookmobile
Houston, Gloria.
Paper Book
When Dorothy was a young girl, she loved books, and she loved people, so she decided that she would become a librarian. Dorothy's dearest wish is to be a librarian in a fine brick library just like the one she visited when she was small. But her new home in North Carolina has...
Nina : a story of Nina Simone
Todd, Traci N.
Paper Book
A 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Award Honoree!   This luminous, defining picture book biography illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson, tells the remarkable and inspiring story of acclaimed singer Nina Simone and her bold, defiant, and exultant legacy. ...
The oldest student how Mary Walker learned to read
Hubbard, Rita L.
Paper Book
Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! Discover the true story of Mary Walker, the nation's oldest student who did just that, in this picture book from a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and a rising star author. One of Slate's 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25...
Olga and the smelly thing from nowhere
Gravel, Elise
Paper Book
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year! Meet Olga, the amazing child scientist who LOVES animals (because they are super-cute)! Brightly put this heavily illustrated don't-miss book on their "Ultimate Summer Reading List for 9- to 12-Year-Olds." Olga and...
One Wish : Fatima Al-fihri and the World's Oldest University
Yuksel, M. O./ Quraishi, Mariam (ILT)
Paper Book
A Horn Book selection for "Picture Book Biographies for Women's History Month 2022" Fatima had one wish . . . Fatima al-Fihri loved to learn. She wanted to know everything, like how birds flew, why the sky was blue, and how flowers grew. But more than anything, she...
Planting stories the life of librarian and storyteller Pura Belpré
Denise, Anika
Paper Book
RECIPIENT OF THE PURA BELPRÉ HONOR  * A Today Show's Best Kids' Books of 2019 * Indie Next List Pick * Junior Library Guild Selection *  "An appealing tribute and successful remedy to the lack of titles about the groundbreaking librarian...a must...
The power of her pen : the story of groundbreaking journalist Ethel L. Payne
Cline-Ransome, Lesa
Paper Book
"A powerful story." --The Horn Book "A worthy addition to children's biography collections." --Booklist "A solid treatment of an important but little-known figure, and it may prompt kids to think about the role and composition of a free press....
Ready to fly : how Sylvia Townsend became the bookmobile ballerina
Lyon, Lea
Paper Book
Lyrical, inspiring, and affecting text paired with bright, appealing illustrations make Ready to Fly perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere who are ready to leap and to spread their wings! Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African American girl who falls in love...
Rebel girls powerful pairs : 25 tales of mothers and daughters
Rebel Girls (COR)
Paper Book
What do Beyonce and Blue Ivy or Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst have in common? What about Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton or Karen E. Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk? They're all incredible mother-daughter duos who have used their creativity, cleverness, and unique talents to do something...
Remembering Rosalind Franklin : Rosalind Franklin & the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA
Stone, Tanya Lee
Paper Book
A CBC-NSTA Editors' Outstanding Science Trade Book for 2025 * An inspiring picture book biography about Rosalind Franklin, the groundbreaking chemist who helped discover the structure of DNA, by the award-winning, bestselling author of Who Says Women Can't Be...
Revolutionary Mary : the true story of one woman, the Declaration of Independence, and America's fight for freedom
Blumenthal, Karen
Paper Book
A bold picture book biography about Mary Katharine Goddard, the only woman whose name is printed on the Declaration of Independence, by award-winning authors Karen Blumenthal and Jen McCartney, and illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. Who was Mary Katharine Goddard? ...
Rock, Rosetta, rock! Roll, Rosetta, roll! : presenting sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock & roll
Bolden, Tonya
Paper Book
"A profile as bold and vivacious as the singer herself." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Terrific for all collections that want to inspire the musically inclined and highlight innovative pioneers." --ALA Booklist (starred review) "Bolden uses alliteration, assonance...
Seeds of Discovery : How Barbara Mcclintock Used Corn and Curiosity to Solve a Science Mystery and Win a Nobel Prize
Alexander, Lori/ Santo, Rebecca (ILT)
Paper Book
The quirky and singular Nobel Prize winner Barbara McClintock, a founder of modern genetics who did things her own way, is honored in this lively young STEM biography by Sibert Honor winner Lori Alexander.  Celebrating the power of curiosity and the rewards of tenacity,...
Sharice's big voice : a native kid becomes a congresswoman
Davids, Sharice
Paper Book
This acclaimed picture book autobiography tells the triumphant story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she'd be in Congress....
She caught the light : Williamina Stevens Fleming, astronomer
Lasky, Kathryn
Paper Book
From Newbery Honor-winning author Kathryn Lasky comes a nonfiction picture book about the stars! Lasky tells the inspiring true story of astronomer Williamina Fleming, who helped lay the foundations for modern astronomy and overcame impossible odds as an immigrant and a woman. For stargazers...
Spying on spies : how Elizebeth Smith Friedman broke the Nazis' secret codes
Moss, Marissa
Paper Book
Bestselling and award-winning author-illustrator Marissa Moss tells the gripping story of America's first female cryptanalyst, Elizebeth Smith Friedman, who busted Nazi spy rings. Praised for her accessible blend of narrative nonfiction with graphic novel-style...
Three summers : a memoir of sisterhood, summer crushes, and growing up on the eve of war
Sabic-El-Rayess, Amra
Paper Book
An epic middle-grade memoir about sisterhood and coming-of-age in the three years leading up to the Bosnian Genocide. Three Summers is the story of five young cousins who grow closer than sisters as ethnic tensions escalate over three summers in 1980s Bosnia. They...
When I wrap my hair
Grant, Shauntay
Paper Book
In the vein of I Am Enough and Hold Them Close, this inspiring and beautiful picture book celebrates how hair wrapping ties together past and present. When I wrap, my roots run deep. As deep as an African marketplace or a city sidewalk or the...

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