The spotlight is on female empowerment this month, so let story time inspire accordingly! Celebrate the accomplishments of the most memorable women in history with these powerful and fascinating reads from Macmillan Publishers.
A IS FOR AWESOME by Eva Chen (Ages 1-3)
Instagram superstar and New York Times bestselling author Eva Chen has created an alphabet board book depicting 23 feminist icons — including Amelia Earhart, Coco Chanel, Malala, and Oprah Winfrey. This book serves both as a fun ABC story and a delightful ode to powerful women.
SECRET ENGINEER: HOW EMILY ROEBLING BUILT THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE by Rachel Dougherty (Ages 5-8)
An empowering tale of an innovative, clever woman who succeeded in a man’s world. Not only is this a biography, but the author/artist took great care to incorporate digestible bits of information about structural engineering throughout the text and illustrations.
BRAVE BALLERINA by Michelle Meadows; illustrated by Ebony Glenn (All ages)
A lyrical picture book tribute to Janet Collins, the first African American principal dancer at the Metropolitan Opera House. The narrative is inviting and will engage young readers in thoughtful reflection about overcoming challenges and inspire them to think “big” from an early age.
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HISTORY VS WOMEN: THE DEFIANT LIVES THAT THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW by Anita Sarkeesian and Ebony Aste (For teens & adults)
This book reclaims the stories of twenty-five remarkable women who dared to defy history and change the world around them, fom Toltec queens to Chinese pirates, Native American ballerinas to Greco-Egyptian scientists, Japanese novelists to British Prime Ministers. The standout nonfiction title is the perfect read for teens and adults who want the true stories of phenomenal women from around the world and insight into how their lives and accomplishments impacted their societies.
COUNTING ON KATHERINE: HOW KATHERINE JOHNSON SAVED APOLLO 13 by Helaine Becker; illustrated by Dow Phumiruk (Ages 5-9)
This is the bold story of Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician who worked for NASA during the space race and was depicted in the film Hidden Figures. The narrative is inviting and will engage young readers in thoughtful reflection about overcoming challenges, inspiring them to think “big” from an early age.
SO TALL WITHIN by Gary D. Schmidt; illustrated by Daniel Minter (Ages 4-8)
Sojourner Truth: an important figure in the struggle for civil rights and rights for women, her ideas were far ahead of her time and are surprisingly resonant today. Lyrical, commanding, and profound, the text by Gary Schmidt is a powerful piece of prose and makes Sojourner Truth both larger than life and remarkably human.
WILD HORSE ANNIE by Tracey Fern; pictures by Steven Salerno (Ages 4-7)
This book celebrates Wild Horse Annie, a woman who spoke up and made an impact in her community. Wild Horse Annie was the nickname of Velma Bronn Johnston, a girl who spoke up after seeing mustangs being rounded up and killed to make room for ranchers’ livestock. She began writing letters to local newspapers and politicians, defending the horses’ right to roam free. Her letter-writing campaign by schoolchildren that helped establish laws protecting wild horses offers a model for contemporary kids about how they too can participate in politics.
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