Women's History Past & Present: Birth to Five

Picture books to introduce women's history and feminist issues to young children.

Updated February 14, 2023
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This book is not for you!
Hale, Shannon
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale and award-winning illustrator Tracy Subisak, comes a zany picture book that pokes fun at overly gendered notions of "boy books" and "girl books" and celebrates the pleasure of a good book. ...
Go, girls, go!
Gilbert, Frances
Paper Book
Come along for a rollicking ride in this picture book celebration of vehicles that puts girls in the driver's seat! Girls can race...and girls can fly. Girls can rocket way up high! Piloting fire trucks, trains, tractors, and more, the girls in this book are...
A girl's bill of rights
Mucha, Amy B.
Paper Book
"I have the right to be bold, and mighty, and LOUD!" In a world where little girls must learn to stand tall, A Girl's Bill of Rightsboldly declares the rights of every woman and girl: power, confidence, freedom, and consent. Author Amy B. Mucha and illustrator Addy Rivera...
Everybody!: You, Me and Us
Gravel, Elise
Paper Book
A reassuring picture book celebrating all of us, perfect for trying times. Everybody! is a touching and funny exploration of empathy and unity -- featuring Elise Gravel's signature quirky and funny monsters! Everybody is unique and different. But we are all more similar than...
Big
Harrison, Vashti
Paper Book
Winner of the Caldecott Medal! A Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor book, a National Book Award finalist, and a New York Times bestseller! This deeply moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of joyful acceptance,...
Yes! No! : a first conversation about consent
Madison, Megan
Paper Book
A picture book edition of the bestselling board book about consent, offering adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way. A board book bestseller - now in picture book! Developed by experts in the...
I love you because I love you
Van, Muon
Paper Book
Author Muợn Thị Văn and Stonewall Book Award-winning artist Jessica Love detail all the big and small reasons why we love the people we do within a call-and-response picture book that features families across the spectrum. "I love you because you tell the best stories...
Sulwe
Nyong'o, Lupita
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices! Recipient of a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award Recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Children's...
Jovita wore pants : the story of a Mexican freedom fighter
Salazar, Aida
Paper Book
**A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK** The remarkable true story of Jovita Valdovinos, a Mexican revolutionary who disguised herself as a man to fight for her rights! * "Graceful . . deft . . . mesmerizing. . . . Bravery and determination prevail in this inspiring tale." --...
The katha chest
Chowdhury, Radhiah
Paper Book
Reminiscent of Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow's Mommy's Khimar, this beautifully woven tale about the bonds of love, culture, and memory follows a young girl learning about her family history through her grandmother's katha chest. Asiya loves to visit Nanu's house where she can...
Ten little dumplings
Fan, Larissa
Paper Book
In the city of Tainan, there lives a very special family - special because they have ten sons who do everything together. Their parents call them their ten little dumplings, as both sons and dumplings are auspicious. But if you look closely, you'll see that someone else is there, listening, studying...
Bodies are cool
Feder, Tyler
Paper Book
This cheerful love-your-body picture book for preschoolers is an exuberant read-aloud with bright and friendly illustrations to pore over.   From the acclaimed creator of Dancing at the Pity Party and Roaring Softly, this picture book is a pure celebration of all the...
The big bath house
Maclear, Kyo
Paper Book
A joyful celebration of Japanese cultural traditions and body positivity as a young girl visits a bath house with her grandmother and aunties NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY New York Public Library . NPR . Publishers Weekly . Kirkus Reviews ....
Laxmi's mooch
Anand, Shelly
Paper Book
A joyful, body-positive picture book about a young Indian American girl's journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage after being teased about her mustache. Laxmi never paid much attention to the tiny hairs above her lip. But one day while playing farm animals at...
Send a girl!
Rinker, Jessica M.
Paper Book
Brenda Berkman was often told that she couldn't do certain things because she was a girl. When she grew up, she longed for a job that was challenging, different every day, and required physical and mental strength. In 1977 when the New York City Fire Department finally complied with the Civil...
My powerful hair
Lindstrom, Carole
Paper Book
Our ancestors say our hair is our memories, our source of strength and power, a celebration of our lives.
Ocean speaks : how Marie Tharp revealed the ocean's biggest secret
Keating, Jess
Paper Book
From a young age, Marie Tharp wanted to be a scientist. In the mid-twentieth century, women were not welcome in the sciences, but Marie got a job in a laboratory at Cambridge University, New York. But then she faced another barrier: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered...
Sweet justice : Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rockliff, Mara
Paper Book
An inspiring picture-book biography about the woman whose cooking helped feed and fund the Montgomery bus boycott of 1956, from an award-winning illustrator. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NewYork Public Library . Chicago Public Library Georgia...
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....
The fearless flights of Hazel Ying Lee
Leung, Julie
Paper Book
An inspiring picture book biography about Hazel Ying Lee, the first Chinese American woman to fly for the US military. Hazel Ying Lee was born fearless -- she was not afraid of anything, and the moment she took her first airplane ride, she knew where she belonged. When...
A is for ambitious
Harris, Meena
Paper Book
The awesome, bold, charming, and decidedly ambitious new picture book by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ambitious Girl, Meena Harris, is also a must-have ABC book. The #1 bestselling team behind Ambitious Girl<...
Mother of sharks
Márquez, Melissa Cristina
Paper Book
Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree and globally renowned shark scientist Melissa Cristina Marquez teams up with award-winning illustrator Devin Elle Kurtz to create an informative, powerful picture book. With lyrical writing and gorgeous art, this moving story explores Melissa's personal journey...
Ketanji Brown Jackson : a justice for all
Charles, Tami
Paper Book
Discover the incredible story of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who followed her childhood dream of becoming a lawyer and eventually became the first Black woman to sit on the US Supreme Court in this picture book biography. After 232 years and 115 appointments, Ketanji Onyika...
Every body : a first conversation about bodies
Madison, Megan
Paper Book
A picture book edition of the board book about body liberation, offering adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way. Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood and activism against injustice, this...

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