International Women's Day 2026 - YA

Celebrating International Women's Day in our Young Adult collection, with books about and by incredible women, real and fictional.

Updated February 16, 2026
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Little Women
Alcott, Louisa May
Paper Book
After her first literary success with Hospital Sketches, based on her experiences in the Civil War, and a secret career writing "rubbishy novels" to contribute to the family income, Louisa May Alcott-s publisher requested a "girl-s book." She grudgingly complied with this semiautobiographical novel...
Film makers : 15 groundbreaking women directors
Miller-Lachmann, Lyn
Paper Book
In Hollywood, women don't have to be in front of the camera to shine.  Each of the 15 women profiled in Film Makersshares a common trait: she is, as Shonda Rhimes says, "First. Only. Different." These phenomenal women have redefined the film and...
Climate champions : 15 women fighting for your future
Sarah, Rachel
Paper Book
These 15 contemporary climate champions are on the frontlines of science to create a sustainable future on Earth. They are climate scientists, journalists, professors, academics, researchers, and policy makers from around the world who draft policies with real-world...
Normal women : making history for 900 years
Gregory, Philippa
Paper Book
"An amazing read." --The Los Angeles Times The #1 New York Times bestselling historical novelist delivers her magnum opus--a landmark work of feminist nonfiction that radically redefines our understanding of the extraordinary roles ordinary women played throughout British history...
Plan A
Caletti, Deb
Paper Book
A sixteen-year-old girl's road trip across the country to get an abortion becomes a transformative journey of vulnerability, strength, and above all, choice. From the acclaimed author of A Heart in a Body in the World, this is both an achingly tender love story and a bold, badly needed...
Lady Knight
Howard, Amalie
Paper Book
The daughter of a duke defies the rules of London high society with the help of the resident rake-who just so happens to be her brother's best friend-in this fun teen historical romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee. "A ridiculously romantic,...
Black girl you are Atlas
Watson, Renée
Paper Book
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award A thoughtful celebration of Black girlhood by award-winning author and poet Renee Watson. In this semi-autobiographical collection of poems, Renee Watson writes about her experience...
It's all love : reflections for your heart & soul
Ortega, Jenna
Paper Book
An empowering collection written by Jenna Ortega, the award-winning actress starring in thehit Netflix series WEDNESDAY.These deeply personal stories and quotes are accompanied bybeautiful illustrations thatexplore Jenna's struggles with depression, experiences falling in-and out of-love, the...
The bones of Birka : unraveling the mystery of a female Viking warrior
Surrisi, C. M.
Paper Book
How many female Viking warriors does it take to make a fact? When archaeologist Dr. Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson discovers that the bones contained in the most significant Viking warrior grave ever opened are, in fact, female, she and her team upend centuries of...
The race to be myself
Semenya, Caster
Paper Book
Caster Semenya is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world champion in track from South Africa. Since her first spectacular performance at the 2009 World Championship in Berlin, she has been at the center of a growing debate about female eligibility rules in professional athletics...
Iron widow
Zhao, Xiran Jay
Paper Book
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant robots that battle aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall of China, no matter that the girls die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male...
Truth, lies, and the questions in between
Elliott, L. M.
Paper Book
As a presidency unravels and the fight for women's rights intensifies, a teen girl's future will be determined by her willingness to seek the truth, in this stunning work of historical fiction perfect for fans of Monica Hesse and Malinda Lo.   ...
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...
The lightning circle
VanSickle, Vikki
Paper Book
An intimate coming-of agenovel for teens, told in verse with delicate line art, chronicling the beauty, magic and transformative power of summer camp, for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Judy Blume. After having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape...
Hear her howl
DeRose, Kim
As fiercely feminist as it is hopeful, this speculative, sapphic YA romance from the author of For Girls Who Walk through Fire is simultaneously a modern-day war cry and a PSA that there is a wolf who slumbers inside us all--we only have to wake her. Rue's life is over. After she's caught kissing a...
Tamora Pierce's Song of the lioness. a graphic novel adaptation / Book 1, Alanna
Ayala, Vita
Paper Book
The first book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce's award-winning Song of the Lioness quartet, adapted into a gorgeous, full-color graphic novel In Song of the Lioness, Book 1: Alanna, the first of four volumes adapting #1 New York Times...
The singular life of Aria Patel
Ahmed, Samira (Fiction writer)
Paper Book
For fans of You've Reached Sam and See You Yesterday, this captivating and mind-bending second-chance romance explores what it means to love--even across the multiverse. Aria Patel likes stability, certainty, predictability. It's why she's so...
Why is everybody yelling? : growing up in my immigrant family
Russo, Marisabina
Paper Book
"A wonderful book about figuring out who we are and who we want to be when we grow up. It's also about being an American--especially a first-generation American." --Roz Chast This graphic-novel debut from an acclaimed picture book creator is a powerfully moving memoir...

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